Clinical and CT imaging features of the COVID-19 pneumonia: Focus on pregnant women and children
Journal of Infection·
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.03.007
- PMID
- 32171865
- PMCID
- PMC7156118
- OpenAlex
- W3010182902
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The atypical clinical presentation in pregnant women could complicate early identification during outbreak response. CT imaging was identified as the preferred modality for early detection, severity assessment, and therapeutic monitoring in cases with epidemic and clinical features regardless of laboratory confirmation status. For children, exposure history and clinical symptoms were suggested as more useful screening tools than chest CT.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study investigated clinical and CT imaging characteristics of COVID-19 pneumonia in pregnant women and children, populations not well reported at the time.
Study design
Retrospective review of clinical and CT data from 59 patients collected between January 27 and February 14, 2020. The sample included 14 laboratory-confirmed non-pregnant adults, 16 laboratory-confirmed pregnant women, 25 clinically-diagnosed pregnant women, and 4 laboratory-confirmed children.
Population and setting
The study examined 59 patients with COVID-19 in China, comprising non-pregnant adults, pregnant women (both laboratory-confirmed and clinically-diagnosed), and children.
Main findings
Pregnant women more commonly presented with normal initial body temperature, leukocytosis, elevated neutrophil ratio, and lymphopenia compared to non-pregnant adults. CT imaging revealed 614 lesions with predominantly peripheral and bilateral distributions. Pure ground-glass opacity was predominant in non-pregnant adults, while mixed and complete consolidation were more common in both laboratory-confirmed and clinically-diagnosed pregnant groups. Clinically-diagnosed cases showed greater pulmonary involvement.
Public-health relevance
The atypical clinical presentation in pregnant women could complicate early identification during outbreak response. CT imaging was identified as the preferred modality for early detection, severity assessment, and therapeutic monitoring in cases with epidemic and clinical features regardless of laboratory confirmation status. For children, exposure history and clinical symptoms were suggested as more useful screening tools than chest CT.
Important limitations
This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata. The original paper is required for decision-grade interpretation, including assessment of potential selection bias, generalizability beyond the study period and setting, and detailed methodological quality.
GIDS interpretation
This paper is discoverable through COVID-19, SARS, treatment, and outbreak investigation classifiers, reflecting its focus on clinical and radiological characterization during the early pandemic period. The work addresses diagnostic and clinical management questions in specific populations rather than ongoing surveillance signals.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 14 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.