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. 2023 May 25;18(5):e0265865.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265865. eCollection 2023.

Presence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in hospitalized Covid-19 patients in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan-A cross-sectional study

Faryal S Bhatti  1   2 , Amyn A Malik  3   4 , Adeel A Malik  2
Affiliations

Presence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in hospitalized Covid-19 patients in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan-A cross-sectional study

Faryal S Bhatti et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in hospitalized Covid-19 patients in a tertiary care hospital in the metropolitan city of Lahore, Pakistan from September 2020 till July 2021.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data of Covid-19 patients hospitalized from September 2020 till July 2021. Only those patients who tested PCR positive through a nasopharyngeal swab, were enrolled in the study. Patients' whose data were missing were excluded from this study. Our exclusion criteria included patients who tested negative on Covid-19 PCR, patients with comorbidities that may cause enlarged mediastinal lymphadenopathies such as haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, neoplasia, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis or a systemic disease. The extent of lung involvement in Covid-19 patients was quantified by using a 25-point visual quantitative assessment called the Chest Computed Tomography Score. This score was then correlated with the presence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

Findings: Of the 210 hospitalized patients included in the study, 131 (62.4%) had mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The mean and median Severity Score of Covid-19 patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathy (mean: 17.1, SD:5.7; median: 17, IQR: 13-23) were higher as compared to those without mediastinal lymphadenopathy (mean: 12.3, SD:5.4; median: 12, IQR:9-16).

Interpretation: Our study documents a high prevalence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in hospitalized patients with Covid-19 with the severity score being higher in its presence representing a more severe course of disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. The figure shows an axial CT image with window adjusted to display both enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes along with predominantly sub-pleural ground glass infiltrates typical of Covid-19 Pneumonia.
Fig 2
Fig 2. The figure shows axial CT mediastinal window image showing enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes along with infiltrates in the lungs.
Fig 3
Fig 3. The figure shows a coronal image of CT Scan showing multiple enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes along with confluent patches of ground glass haze suggestive of changes of Covid-19 Pneumonia.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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