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Background: COVID-19 is a systemic viral infection which mainly targets the human respiratory system with many secondary clinical manifestations especially affecting the hematopoietic system and haemostasis. Few studies have highlighted the prognostic value of blood findings such as lymphopenia, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, LDH, CRP, cardiac troponin, low-density lipoproteins and chest radiographic abnormality. A study of progressions of blood and radiological results may help to identify patients at high risk of severe outcomes. This systematic review aimed to assess the temporal progression of blood and radiology findings of patients with COVID-19., Methods: Comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted on Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases to identify articles published for peripheral blood investigation and radiological results of COVID-19 patients., Results: A total of 27 studies were included in this review. The common laboratory features reported include lymphopenia, elevated levels of C-reactive proteins and lactate dehydrogenase. For radiological signs, ground-glass opacifications, consolidations, and crazy paving patterns were frequently reported. There is a correlation between lymphocyte count, neutrophil count and biomarkers such as C-reactive proteins and lactate dehydrogenase; at a later phase of the disease (more than 7 days since onset of symptoms), lymphopenia worsens while neutrophil count, C-reactive protein levels and lactate dehydrogenase levels increase. Frequencies of ground-glass opacifications and ground-glass opacifications with consolidations decrease at a later phase of the disease while that of consolidation and crazy paving pattern rises as the disease progresses. More extensive lung involvement was also seen more frequently in the later phases., Conclusion: The correlation between temporal progression and the reported blood and radiological results may be helpful to monitor and evaluate disease progression and severity.

Background: Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection is an increasing problem worldwide. The epidemiology of NTM in most Asian countries is unknown. This study investigated the epidemiology, and clinical profile of inpatients in whom NTM was isolated from various anatomical sites in a Singaporean population attending a major tertiary referral centre., Methods: Demographic profile, clinical data, and characteristics of patients hospitalized with NTM isolates at a major tertiary hospital over two-year period were prospectively assessed (2011-2012). Data collected included patient demographics, ethnicity, smoking status, co-morbidities, NTM species, intensive care unit (ICU) treatment, and mortality., Results: A total of 485 patients (62.1% male) with 560 hospital admissions were analysed. The median patient age was 70 years. Thirteen different NTM species were isolated from this cohort. Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) (38.4%) was most frequently isolated followed by Mycobacterium fortuitum (M. fortuitum) (16.6%), Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) (16.3%), Mycobacterium kansasii (M. kansasii) (15.4%), and Mycobacterium gordonae (M. gordonae) (6.8%). Most (91%) NTM was isolated from the respiratory tract. The three most common non-pulmonary sites were; blood (2.7%), skin wounds and abscesses (2.1%), and gastric aspirates (1.1%). A third (34.4%) of the study population had prior pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). There was a significant association between isolated NTM species, and patient age (p = 0.0002). Eleven (2.2%) patients received intensive care unit (ICU) treatment during the study period and all cause mortality within 1 year of the study was 16.9% (n = 82). Of these, 72 (87.8%) patients died of pulmonary causes., Conclusions: The profile of NTM species in Singapore is unique. M. abscessus is the commonest NTM isolated, with a higher prevalence in males, and in the elderly. High NTM prevalence is associated with high rates of prior PTB in our cohort.