The clinical and imaging features in patients with double challenge: tuberculosis and COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has surpassed any other health problem worldwide and has disrupted the successes in tuberculosis (TB) control globally. The aim of study was to assess the clinical and imaging characteristics in patients with TB/COVID-19 co-infection. A retrospective study on 80 patients with TB/COVID-19 co-infection (study group/SG) and 113 patients with TB (comparison group/CG) from the Republic of Moldova was conducted. Clinical signs in all patients in both groups presented with asthenia 100%, anorexia SG 100% vs. CG 82%, cough SG 93% vs. CG 86%, fever SG 91% vs. CG 3%, (p<0.05), low grade fever SG 9% vs. CG 97%, (p<0.05), sweating SG 90% vs. CG 75%, weight loss SG 10% vs. CG 79%, (p<0.05). Imaging features revealed bilateral condensation syndrome SG 65% vs. CG 57%, unilateral condensation syndrome SG 57% and CG 20%, interstitial pattern SG 51% vs. CG 31%, air broncho gram SG 27% vs. CG 20,3%, ground-glass opacity SG 100% vs. CG 9%, paving SG 11% vs. CG 0%, atelectasis SG 11% vs. CG 25%, cavities SG 8% vs. CG 9%, emphysema SG 43% vs. CG 53%.