Comparison of COVID-19 pneumonia during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron wave and the previous non-Omicron wave in a single facility

Abstract

Background: The characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron variant have not been fully described. Unlike other variants, the Omicron variant replicates rapidly in the bronchus. Therefore, we hypothesized that it would have different computed tomography (CT) findings from non-Omicron variants.

Methods: We enrolled patients with COVID-19 who visited our hospital and underwent chest CT during the first month of the Omicron wave (January 2022; N = 231) and the previous non-Omicron wave (July 2021; N = 87). We retrospectively evaluated the differences in the prevalence rate and CT characteristics of COVID-19 pneumonia between the two waves.

Results: The prevalence of pneumonia was significantly lower in the Omicron wave group (79/231, 34.2%) compared to the previous wave group (67/87, 77.0%) (P < 0.001). For the predominant distribution pattern of pneumonia, the Omicron wave group revealed a significantly lower rate of the peripheral pattern and a higher rate of the random pattern than the previous wave group. In addition, the Omicron wave group had a significantly lower rate of consolidation than the previous wave group. The ground-glass opacities (GGOs) rate was similar between the two wave groups. For GGOs patterns, cluster-like GGOs along the bronchi on chest CT were more frequently observed during the Omicron wave than during the previous wave.

Conclusion: The Omicron wave group had a lower COVID-19 pneumonia prevalence than the previous wave group. Cluster-like GGOs should be noted as a characteristic CT finding of pneumonia during the Omicron wave.

Keywords: Cluster-like ground-glass opacities; Computed tomography; Coronavirus disease 2019; Omicron variant; Pneumonia.