Are presentations of thoracic CT performed on admission to the ICU associated with mortality at day-90 in COVID-19 related ARDS?
Authors
Affiliations (6)
Affiliations (6)
- CHU Rennes, Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Pontchaillou, Université de Rennes 1, 2, rue Henri Le Guilloux, Rennes cedex 9, 35033, France.
- Service de radiologie, Hôpital Pontchaillou, Université de Rennes, Rennes, France.
- LTSI, INSERM U1099, Université de Rennes, Rennes, France.
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Rennes 1, Unité INSERM CIC 1414, IFR 140, Rennes, France.
- CHU Rennes, Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Pontchaillou, Université de Rennes 1, 2, rue Henri Le Guilloux, Rennes cedex 9, 35033, France. [email protected].
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Rennes 1, Unité INSERM CIC 1414, IFR 140, Rennes, France. [email protected].
Abstract
Computed tomography (CT) analysis of lung morphology has significantly advanced our understanding of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, CT imaging was widely utilized to evaluate lung injury and was suggested as a tool for predicting patient outcomes. However, data specifically focused on patients with ARDS admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) remain limited. This retrospective study analyzed patients admitted to ICUs between March 2020 and November 2022 with moderate to severe COVID-19 ARDS. All CT scans performed within 48 h of ICU admission were independently reviewed by three experts. Lung injury severity was quantified using the CT Severity Score (CT-SS; range 0-25). Patients were categorized as having severe disease (CT-SS ≥ 18) or non-severe disease (CT-SS < 18). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included ICU mortality and medical complications during the ICU stay. Additionally, we evaluated a computer-assisted CT-score assessment using artificial intelligence software (CT Pneumonia Analysis<sup>®</sup>, SIEMENS Healthcare) to explore the feasibility of automated measurement and routine implementation. A total of 215 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 ARDS were included. The median CT-SS at admission was 18/25 [interquartile range, 15-21]. Among them, 120 patients (56%) had a severe CT-SS (≥ 18), while 95 patients (44%) had a non-severe CT-SS (< 18). The 90-day mortality rates were 20.8% for the severe group and 15.8% for the non-severe group (p = 0.35). No significant association was observed between CT-SS severity and patient outcomes. In patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 ARDS, systematic CT assessment of lung parenchymal injury was not a reliable predictor of 90-day mortality or ICU-related complications.