Alveolar air leak and paraseptal emphysema in severe COVID-19 disease

Atabak Najafi, Farahnaz Fallahian, Arezoo Ahmadi, Khadijeh Bakhtavar

Abstract

Background

Corona virus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spread in the world as a great medical crisis. Its pathophysiology, manifestations, complications, and management are not completely defined, yet. In this study frequency of alveolar air leak in critically ill COVID-19 subjects is explored.

Methods

A total of 820 critically ill COVID-19 subjects who admitted with respiratory insufficiency to ICUs of Sina University Hospital from March 2020 to June 2021 were included. All their chest x ray (CXR) and Computed tomography (CT) of chest were reviewed. All alveolar air leak episodes (pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, subcutaneous emphysema) suspected films reviewed by attending intensivist and radiologist.

Results

Of the 820 ill COVID-19 subjects in ICUs, 492(60%) were male, and 328 (40%) were female. The Mean age of 820 subjects was 60.84 + 16.82. 584 (71.22%) of subjects were non-intubated, and 236 (28.78%) were intubated. Alveolar air leak occurred in 98 (11.95%) of subjects. Alveolar air leak episodes include pneumothorax in 26 (3.17%), subcutaneous emphysema in 72 (8.78%), pneumomediastinum in 9 (1.10%), and pneumopericardium in 1 (0.12%) of subjects.

The mean age in non-intubated subjects was 59.65 + 16.84, and for intubated subjects was 63 + 16.42. There was a significant difference in age between the groups who get intubated, versus not intubated P 0.001.

Of the 584 non-intubated subjects, 31 (5.31%) had subcutaneous emphysema, of the 236 intubated subjects, 41 (17.37%) had subcutaneous emphysema. Difference between groups was statistically significant, P <0.001. When we compared intubated and non-intubated patients in case of total numbers of alveolar air leak episodes, the difference was statistically significant P <0.001.

Conclusion

According to this study, intubation was implemented more in older patients. Also, invasive ventilation was significantly associated with subcutaneous emphysema and total number of alveolar air leak episodes. In every patient with exaggeration of hypoxia, dyspnea or chest pain, pneumothorax should be kept in mind as a differential diagnosis.

Keywords

COVID-19; Respiratory failure; Alveolar air leak; Paraseptal emphysema

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