Affiliations 

  • 1 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonology Unit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonology Unit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. andreaban@gmail.com
  • 3 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 5 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Nephrology Unit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 6 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrine Unit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 7 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Neurology Unit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 8 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anaesthesiology and critical care, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Med J Malaysia, 2020 07;75(4):368-371.
PMID: 32723996

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID- 19) was first reported in Malaysia in March 2020. We describe here the clinical characteristics and computed tomography (CT) patterns in asymptomatic young patients who had laboratory-confirmed COVID-19.

METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study where 25 male in-patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz. Demographics, clinical data and CT images of these patients were reviewed by 2 senior radiologists.

RESULTS: In total there were 25 patients (all males; mean age [±SD], 21.64±2.40 years; range, 18-27 years). Patients with abnormal chest CT showed a relatively low normal absolute lymphocytes count (median: 2.2 x 109/L) and absolute monocyte count (median: 0.5 x 109/L). Lactate dehydrogenase was elevated in 5 (20%) of the patients. The procalcitonin level was normal while elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, platelet and C-reactive protein were common. Baseline chest CT showed abnormalities in 6 patients. The distribution of the lesions were; upper lobe 3 (12%) lower lobe 3 (12%) with peripheral distribution 4 (16%). Of the 25 patients included, 4 (16%) had ground glass opacification (GGO), 1 (4%) had a small peripheral subpleural nodule, and 1 (4%) had a dense solitary granuloma. Four patients had typical CT features of COVID-19.

CONCLUSION: We found that the CT imaging showed peripheral GGO in our patients. They remained clinically stable with no deterioration of their respiratory symptoms suggesting stability in lung involvement. We postulate that rapid changes in CT imaging may not be present in young, asymptomatic, non-smoking COVID-19 patients. Thus the use of CT thoraxfor early diagnosis may be reserved for patients in the older agegroups, and not in younger patients.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.