{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41502"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41502","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"A retrospective review of CTPA confirmed pulmonary emboli in COVID-19 patients admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town","abstract":"Background: A high incidence of thromboembolic phenomena has been widely reported in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. There is, however, a paucity of data detailing the incidence and characteristics of pulmonary emboli (PE) in COVID-19 patients in the South African setting. An improved understanding of the presentation and course of these patients is warranted, considering the serious and potentially fatal outcomes. Objectives: To describe the incidence and characteristics of PE confirmed by Computer Tomography Pulmonary Angiogram (CTPA) in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to a tertiary hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: We performed a retrospective-, descriptive study of all adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) undergoing CTPA for suspected PE while admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital. The study period was from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020. Results: Our study cohort consisted of 116 patients, 59% being female, of whom, 29% were pregnant or in the postpartum period. The median age for both genders combined was 49.5 years. The overall incidence of PE was 19 %, with 20 % in our subset of pregnant and postpartum patients. The majority (64%) of PE's were reported as being segmental in anatomical location. Conclusion: Our study cohort was noteworthy in including pregnant and postpartum patients. The overall incidence of PE was 19 % with no significant differences in demographics, comorbidities or D-dimer levels between patients with or without PE. The importance of a high clinical index of suspicion together with the role of CTPA in diagnosing PE in hospitalised COVID-19 patients is emphasised.","abstract_html":"Background: A high incidence of thromboembolic phenomena has been widely reported in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. There is, however, a paucity of data detailing the incidence and characteristics of pulmonary emboli (PE) in COVID-19 patients in the South African setting. An improved understanding of the presentation and course of these patients is warranted, considering the serious and potentially fatal outcomes. Objectives: To describe the incidence and characteristics of PE confirmed by Computer Tomography Pulmonary Angiogram (CTPA) in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to a tertiary hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: We performed a retrospective-, descriptive study of all adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) undergoing CTPA for suspected PE while admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital. The study period was from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020. Results: Our study cohort consisted of 116 patients, 59% being female, of whom, 29% were pregnant or in the postpartum period. The median age for both genders combined was 49.5 years. The overall incidence of PE was 19 %, with 20 % in our subset of pregnant and postpartum patients. The majority (64%) of PE's were reported as being segmental in anatomical location. Conclusion: Our study cohort was noteworthy in including pregnant and postpartum patients. The overall incidence of PE was 19 % with no significant differences in demographics, comorbidities or D-dimer levels between patients with or without PE. The importance of a high clinical index of suspicion together with the role of CTPA in diagnosing PE in hospitalised COVID-19 patients is emphasised.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ahlers, Petri"],"institution":"Division of Radiology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Said-Hartley, Mariam"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025","date_published":"2025","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:33:39Z","subjects":["Radiology"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41502","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Said-Hartley, Mariam"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ahlers, Petri"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-07-01T16:31:47Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-07-01T16:31:47Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Division of Radiology"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cape Town"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis / Dissertation"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters","MMed"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Radiology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41502"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background: A high incidence of thromboembolic phenomena has been widely reported in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. There is, however, a paucity of data detailing the incidence and characteristics of pulmonary emboli (PE) in COVID-19 patients in the South African setting. An improved understanding of the presentation and course of these patients is warranted, considering the serious and potentially fatal outcomes. Objectives: To describe the incidence and characteristics of PE confirmed by Computer Tomography Pulmonary Angiogram (CTPA) in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to a tertiary hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: We performed a retrospective-, descriptive study of all adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) undergoing CTPA for suspected PE while admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital. The study period was from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020. Results: Our study cohort consisted of 116 patients, 59% being female, of whom, 29% were pregnant or in the postpartum period. The median age for both genders combined was 49.5 years. The overall incidence of PE was 19 %, with 20 % in our subset of pregnant and postpartum patients. The majority (64%) of PE's were reported as being segmental in anatomical location. Conclusion: Our study cohort was noteworthy in including pregnant and postpartum patients. The overall incidence of PE was 19 % with no significant differences in demographics, comorbidities or D-dimer levels between patients with or without PE. The importance of a high clinical index of suspicion together with the role of CTPA in diagnosing PE in hospitalised COVID-19 patients is emphasised."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A retrospective review of CTPA confirmed pulmonary emboli in COVID-19 patients admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Said-Hartley, Mariam"],"dc:creator":["Ahlers, Petri"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-07-01T16:31:47Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-07-01T16:31:47Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025"],"dc:description.abstract":["Background: A high incidence of thromboembolic phenomena has been widely reported in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. There is, however, a paucity of data detailing the incidence and characteristics of pulmonary emboli (PE) in COVID-19 patients in the South African setting. An improved understanding of the presentation and course of these patients is warranted, considering the serious and potentially fatal outcomes. Objectives: To describe the incidence and characteristics of PE confirmed by Computer Tomography Pulmonary Angiogram (CTPA) in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to a tertiary hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: We performed a retrospective-, descriptive study of all adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) undergoing CTPA for suspected PE while admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital. The study period was from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020. Results: Our study cohort consisted of 116 patients, 59% being female, of whom, 29% were pregnant or in the postpartum period. The median age for both genders combined was 49.5 years. The overall incidence of PE was 19 %, with 20 % in our subset of pregnant and postpartum patients. The majority (64%) of PE's were reported as being segmental in anatomical location. Conclusion: Our study cohort was noteworthy in including pregnant and postpartum patients. The overall incidence of PE was 19 % with no significant differences in demographics, comorbidities or D-dimer levels between patients with or without PE. The importance of a high clinical index of suspicion together with the role of CTPA in diagnosing PE in hospitalised COVID-19 patients is emphasised."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41502"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher.department":["Division of Radiology"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Cape Town"],"dc:subject":["Radiology"],"dc:title":["A retrospective review of CTPA confirmed pulmonary emboli in COVID-19 patients admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town"],"dc:type":["Thesis / Dissertation"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters","MMed"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:33:39Z"}