Cardiopulmonary imaging utilization and findings among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Latin America (From RIMAC: Registry IMAging Cardiopulmonary among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in LATAM)
Authors: Spina Salvador V , Vieira Marcelo L Campos , Herrera César J. , Múnera Echeverri Ana G. , Rojo Pamela , Arrioja Salazar Alma S , Vázquez Ortiz Zuilma Y , Arellano Roberto Baltodano , Reyes Graciela , Millán Rocío Aceves , Calderón González Juan A , Camarozano Ana C , Avilés Edgar , Cabrera Marco A , Grande Ratti María F , Lowenstein Jorge , Vyhmeister Rodrigo Hernández , Santana Pamela Piña , Ibarra Burgos Jaime A. , Rivera Alejandra , Fernández Campos Beatriz A , Cupe Chacalcaje Kelly M , De Santos Mariela , Afonso Tania R , Aquino Tomás Miranda , Lalyre Acosta Ana L , Domínguez Beatriz , Campos Federico , Alday Ramirez Sergio M , Cachicatari Beltran Angela V , Alvarez Daniela , de Oliveira Roveri Patricia , Ixcamparij Carlos Rosales , López Ender , Vargas Pedro , Flamand Maximiliano Flores , López Martínez Rosa L , Meza Luciana , Morthy Samira Saady , Ovalle Rudy , Martínez Stalin , Pérez Orpinel Oscar A , Potito Mauricio , Orellana Otto , Baez Jorge Marte , Sandoval Consuelo Orihuela , Fernandez Marcos Granillo , Loomba Rohit , Flores Saúl , Hernández Hernández José M , Pignatelli Ricardo 
Published: January 2022

Objectives

To describe the use and findings of cardiopulmonary imaging - chest X-ray (cX-ray), echocardiography (cEcho), chest CT (cCT), lung ultrasound (LUS)) and/or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) - in COVID-19-associated hospitalizations in Latin America (LATAM)

Background

The SARS-Cov-2 is one of the largest and most active threats to healthcare in living memory. There is an information gap on imaging services resources (ISR) used and their findings during the pandemic in LATAM.

Methods

This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study of COVID-19 inpatients conducted from March to December 2020 from 12 high-complexity centers in nine LATAM countries. Adults (> 18 yrs) with at least one imaging modality performed, followed from admission until discharge and/or in-hospital death, were included.

Results

We studied 1435 hospitalized patients (64% males) with a median age of 58 years classified into three regions: 262 from Mexico (Mx), 428 from Central America and Caribbean (CAC), and 745 from South America (SAm). More frequent comorbidities were overweight/obesity (61%), hypertension (45%), and diabetes (27%). During hospitalization, 58% were admitted to ICU. The in-hospital mortality was 28% (95%CI 25-30) highest in Mx (37%).

The most frequent cardiopulmonary imaging performed were cCT (61%)-more frequent in Mx and SAm-, and cX-ray (46%) -significantly used in CAC-. The cEcho was carried out in 18%, similarly among regions, and LUS in 7%, more frequently in Mx. The cMRI was performed in only one patient in the cohort. Abnormal findings on the cX-ray were related to peripheral (63%) or basal infiltrates (52%), and in cCT with ground glass infiltrates (89%). Both were more commonly in Mx. In LUS, interstitial syndrome (56%) was the most related abnormal finding, predominantly in Mx and CAC.

Conclusions

The use and findings of cardiopulmonary imaging in LATAM varied between regions and may have been influenced by clinical needs, the personnel protection measures and/or hospitalization location.

Condensed Abstract

The SARS-Cov-2 is one of the largest and most active threats to healthcare in living memory. There is limited information on imaging services resources (ISR) used and their findings during the pandemic in LATAM.

To our knowledge, RIMAC aimed the first international, multicenter study at registering the use and findings of cardiopulmonary imaging modalities performed for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of patients hospitalized for infection with SARS-CoV-2 in Latin America. We studied their demographic parameters, comorbidities, in-hospital events, laboratory results, and treatments focusing on their impact in clinical complications.