COVID-19 pneumonia: lessons learned, challenges, and preparing for the future
Makaleler > Tam Makale · 2022
Yazarlar: Furkan Ufuk, Recep SAVAŞ
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Uluslararası, Wos, 2022, cilt 28, ss 576-585
Özet
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral disease that causes life-threatening health problems during acute illness, causing a pandemic and millions of deaths.Although computed tomography (CT) was used as a diagnostic tool for COVID-19 in the early period of the pandemic due to the inaccessibility or long duration of the polymerase chain reaction tests, current studies have revealed that CT scan should not be used to diagnose COVID-19.However, radiologic findings are vital in assessing pneumonia severity and investigating complications in patients with COVID-19.Long-term symptoms, also known as long COVID, in people recovering from COVID-19 affect patients' quality of life and cause global health problems.Herein, we aimed to summarize the lessons learned in COVID-19 pneumonia, the challenges in diagnosing the disease and complications, and the prospects for future studies.A t the end of 2019, pneumonia cases of unknown cause emerged in Wuhan, China.Later, scientists determined that this pneumonia agent was a previously unknown betacoronavirus [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)]. 1 Then, the World Health Organization declared the disease [coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)] caused by SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic.2 The most prevalent problems in COVID-19 patients during acute illness are pneumonia, respiratory failure, sepsis, and death.In addition to patient-related factors, coinfections and superinfections are essential causes of poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients during acute illness.3 Radiologic findings are vital in assessing pneumonia severity, prognosis, the presence of coinfections, and investigating complications in COVID-19.[4][5][6] In addition to acute illness, long-term symptoms experienced by people recovering from COVID-19 are also significant health problems reported more frequently.7 Herein, we provide an overview of the lessons learned in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, the early and long-term complications of COVID-19 pneumonia, and the prospects for future studies. Clinical features of COVID-19The clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection are very variable and range from asymptomatic to severe illness requiring mechanical ventilation.A large meta-analysis involving approximately 30 million tested individuals showed that 40.5% of cases infected with SARS-CoV-2 were asymptomatic.8 Older age, male gender, underlying comorbidities, and being unvaccinated are risk factors for severe disease.9 Some SARS-CoV-2 variants have been associated with less frequent risks of severe disease.10 Moreover, vaccination against COVID-19 reduces the risk of severe disease, leads to less pneumonia at chest computed tomography (CT), and is associated with good prognosis. 11,,12 The median incubation period of SARS-CoV-2 is approximately 4-5 days after exposure.Cough, fever, myalgia, diarrhea, smell or taste abnormalities, and headache are the frequently reported symptoms of COVID-19.1,[3][4][5][6]12,13 Mild upper respiratory symptoms (e.g., sore throat, sneezing, and nasal congestion) have been more commonly reported with the Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529)variants.10,14 Pneumonia is the most common serious presentation of SARS-Cov-2 infection, and no specific symptoms can reliably Furkan Ufuk Recep Savaş COVID-19 pneumonia: lessons learned, challenges, and preparing for the future