Date of Award
5-2022
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Medicine (MMed)
First Supervisor/Advisor
Dr. Edward Nganga
Second Supervisor/Advisor
Dr. Samuel Gitau
Third Supervisor/Advisor
Prof. Reena Shah
Department
Imaging and Diagnostic Radiology (East Africa)
Abstract
Background: Imaging with chest computed tomography (CT) has demonstrated a role in stratifying COVID-19 patients into different clinical severity groups thus facilitating appropriate care decisions. In a limited number of settings, the wider applicability and reproducibility of these findings is unclear.
Objectives: To determine the association between chest CT severity score and clinical severity of illness in RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV2 patients. To evaluate the relationship of CT chest severity score with short term clinical outcome of patients.
Methods: CT chest of 172 SARS-CoV2 patients who accessed care at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi between 14th March and 31st December 2020 were retrospectively scored for CT severity of disease using a 5-point score for lobar involvement (0:0%; 1,75%). CT was compared with clinical severity of disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the CT score utility in predicting short term clinical outcome.
Results: Majority of the study population were male 127(73.8%) and only 12() presented within 48 hours of symptom onset. The commonest presenting symptoms were cough 118 (68.6%), fever 81 (47.1%) and difficulty breathing 69(40.1%). CT score had fair positive correlation with clinical severity r=0.378. CT score was significantly higher in the severe category versus the moderate category (p
Conclusion: Fair positive correlation of CT severity with clinical severity of COVID-19 pneumonia and less than perfect inter-rater agreement on CT severity scoring limits application of CT derived COVID-19 severity score.
Recommended Citation
Nduati, P. K. (2022). Association between CT severity score and clinical severity score of Covid-19 pneumonia at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga Khan University, East Africa.