Chest X-Ray Scoring System in COVID-19 Pneumonia: An Added Value in the Evaluation of the Disease Severity

Abstract

Objectives: To analyze the added value of a new CXR scoring system in the evaluation of the COVID-19 pneumonia severity. Methods: This retrospective study included, from March to April 2020, 169 (132M/37F) hospitalized COVID-19 patients, mean age 65.6±10.8 years; 57 had low-pressure ventilation (Group A), 50 positive-pressure ventilation (Group B) and 62 invasive ventilation (Group C). Two radiologists in consensus evaluated the CXRs using an 18-points scoring system. CXR scores were compared in each Group and among the three Groups. Then in each Group CXR scores were correlated with Pa02/Fi02 and, in Group C, with Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS). Non-parametric tests were used. Results: In Group A the median score at admission was 8 [Interquartile range (IR) 7-9] and the median of the highest scores was 9 [IR 8-10](p=0.0738). Median scores at admission and before the start of the ventilation (pre-ventilation) are resulted, in Group B, 10 [IR 8-10] and 11 [IR 10-14](p