Did primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum risk factor alter in the period of COVID-19 pandemia?

Abstract

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to establish risk factors for primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and reveal those which are significant.

Methods: The study included 62 patients with primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum who presented to our hospital between 11 March 2020, the date of the first-reported COVID-19 case in our country, and 3 January 2021. Of these, 14 patients (22.6%) had COVID-19 and 48 patients (77.4%) did not have COVID-19.

Results: Of the 62 patients included in the study, 41 (66.1%) were male and 21 (33.9%) were female. The mean age was 28.90 ± 16.86 (range, 16-84) years. The most common symptom at admission was chest pain (54.8%). The mean age of the patients with COVID-19 was 39.35 ± 23.04 years and that of the patients without COVID-19 was 25.85 ± 13.45 years (P < 0.001). In receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve for age was 0.785 (95% confidence interval: 0.648-0.922) and the optimal cut-off value was 24 years for COVID-19-positive patients. The highest sensitivity and specificity values were 0.857 and 0.729. Twelve (85.79%) of the COVID-19-positive primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum patients were aged 24 years or older (P < 0.001). Five patients (8.1%) had positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction test but no abnormal findings on computed tomography.

Conclusions: Having an age of more than 24 years was associated with a higher prevalence of pneumomediastinum in COVID-19 patients and emerged as an important risk factor. Multicentre studies with more cases are needed to determine whether pneumomediastinum is associated with additional other risk factors related to COVID-19.

Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; Pneumomediastinum.