COVID-19 CT score and oxygen saturation level on pulse oximetry: Do they correlate?
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Date
2024-12
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Dr. M. V. Ghorpade
Abstract
Background: Computed Tomography (CT) scan of Chest was widely used in India during COVID-19 pandemic irrespective of oxygen saturation level of the patients because of wide spread CT availability and prevalence of happy hypoxia in the COVID-19 patients. Aim and Objectives: The aim of our study was to determine the correlation between the COVID-19 CT score and oxygen saturation level on pulse oximetry in patients with Reverse Transcriptase- Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) positive status with or without fever. Material and Methods: Those patients attending the fever clinic of our institution with suspicion of COVID-19 and were subjected to CT chest were the primary study population. Of these patients, those with positive RT -PCR status and underwent CT chest (with positive CT- severity score) and had an oxygen saturation (SpO ) level value on pulse oximetry were included in the study.2 Results: About 45.02% of the study participants had oxygen saturation below 94% and 55 % of the patients had oxygen saturation above 94%. Those with a lower saturation (<94) had higher CT mean scores in both CT25 and CT40 scoring systems. In the CT25 group, almost half of the study participants (51.1%) of those with saturation < 94% had CT scores th between 6-15 (moderate category). Almost 3/4 of the study participants (72%) of those with SpO > 94% had CT2 scores between 6-15 (moderate category). There was a statistically significant association (p < 0.5) between oxygen saturation, gender, mortality and CT25 scores. In the CT40 group, there was a statistically significant association (p < 0.05) between CT40 scores and oxygen saturation, diabetes, hypertension and mortality. Almost 84% of those having SpO less than 94% had a CT score above 19 (severe category). Almost half (48%) of those with SpO > 94, had2 2 a CT score above 19 (severe category). Conclusions: The oxygen saturation level alone cannot be an exclusive factor in deciding whether to consider a chest CT-scan imaging, as a lot of patients with normal SpO had significantly higher2 CT-severity scores. Individuals with hypoxia have considerably higher CT severity showing substantial inverse association and the higher CT-severity score has important therapeutic and prognostic implications.
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Keywords
COVID-19, CT, chest, oxygen, saturation, severity score
Citation
Indiran V, Anantha Eashwar VM, Nisarga BV, Aishwarya PM. . COVID-19 CT score and oxygen saturation level on pulse oximetry: Do they correlate?. Journal of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences University. 2024 Dec; 13(4): 43-54