CT, BLUS Finding With Clinical Assessment Provide High Prognostic Accuracy for Screening Respiratory Complications in COVID-19 Patients

Background: Although the global COVID-19 pandemic has officially ended, patients continue to present with respiratory complications exhibiting a broad spectrum of clinical presentations. Accurate diagnosis and risk stratification require integration of clinical evaluation, laboratory testing, and imaging. CT is frequently used but demonstrates low specificity, as findings such as ground-glass and reticular opacities are nonspecific. Bedside lung ultrasonography (BLUS) can identify characteristic artifacts and consolidations, offering a complementary diagnostic tool. Objective: To evaluate the prognostic value of integrating BLUS and CT imaging findings with clinical features to predict poor outcomes in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) in COVID-19. Design: Single-center observational study. Participants/Methods: Patients presenting to the ED with clinical and laboratory findings compatible with COVID-19 during a 21-month study period were included. Imaging features more...