Pulmonary Embolism in COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Case-Control Study

Alaithan, Fatimah A; Aljawad, Mahdi H; Ghawas, Asia H; Althobaiti, Abdulrahman S; Almuslem, Qusai A; Nasif, Mohammed H Bin; Algharbi, Faisal F; Alshehri, Reem A; Gethami, Yousef K Al; Altowayan, Khaled W; Alzahrani, Fahad; Suwaylih, Amal A; Alwadai, Abdullah S; Badawi, Abdulmajeed M; Alshammari, Malak

doi:10.7759/cureus.x9

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…While CTA is the gold standard for PE diagnosis in adults, similar data are lacking for children. [11][12][13] Pediatric protocols often borrow from adult guidelines, and their suitability in pediatric cases is limited. Although CTA is highly accurate for diagnosing PE, overuse is a concern due to its accessibility and sensitivity.…”

Section: Treatments and Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Has the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Played a Role in the Early Detection of Pulmonary Embolism in Children?

Eryilmaz Polat,

Akyan Soydaş,

Ocak

et al. 2024

Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

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Objective: Pulmonary embolism (PE) poses a significant threat to children, and nonspecific symptoms lead to delayed diagnosis. The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has increased the complexity as it is associated with similar symptoms and increased risk of thrombotic complications. This study aimed to assess the risk factors, clinical presentations, and diagnostic features of PE in pediatric patients and to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with PE. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study examining the clinical and diagnostic data of 44 pediatric patients with radiologically confirmed PE. The study compared and analyzed patients diagnosed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: In the study, 21 of 44 pediatric patients were diagnosed in the 4 years before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 23 were diagnosed with PE during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mean time to diagnosis was 8 (2 to 14) days before the pandemic and 1 (1 to 2) days during the pandemic (P < 0.001). The most common associated condition in both groups was infection (65.9%). Dyspnea (65.9%) and tachypnea (50.0%) were common symptoms. Except for deep vein thrombosis, there were no significant differences according to associated conditions between the groups (P = 0.001). Pulmonary emboli were anatomically detected using computed tomography angiography, showing bilateral involvement in 45.4% of patients, segmental artery involvement in 38.6%, and main artery involvement in 15.9%. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic heightened suspicion of pediatric PE and accelerated diagnosis. Standardized diagnostic guidelines are increasingly necessary to balance accurate diagnosis with avoiding excessive imaging.

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Section: Treatments and Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, COVID-19's coagulopathy risk may result in overutilization of CTA screening. 11,14 Awareness of the high risk associated with COVID-19 has led to increased use of imaging for potential PE cases.…”

Section: Treatments and Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%