Evolution of lung function and chest CT 6 months after COVID-19 pneumonia: Real-life data from a Belgian University Hospital

Introduction: Most post COVID-19 follow-up studies are limited to a follow-up of 3 months. Whether a favorable evolution in lung function and/or radiological abnormalities is to be expected beyond 3 months is uncertain. Materials and methods: We conducted a real-life follow-up study assessing the evolution in lung function, chest CT and ventilation distribution between 10 weeks and 6 months after diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. Results: Seventy-nine patients were assessed at 6 months of whom 63 had chest CT at both follow-up visits and 46 had multiple breath washout testing to obtain lung cle... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Dimitri Stylemans
Jelle Smet
Shane Hanon
Daniël Schuermans
Bart Ilsen
Jef Vandemeulebroucke
Eef Vanderhelst
Sylvia Verbanck
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2021
Schlagwörter: Chest CT / lung clearance index / Post COVID-19 / Pulmonary function testing / COVID-19
Sprache: unknown
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-26533412
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://zenodo.org/record/7818954

Introduction: Most post COVID-19 follow-up studies are limited to a follow-up of 3 months. Whether a favorable evolution in lung function and/or radiological abnormalities is to be expected beyond 3 months is uncertain. Materials and methods: We conducted a real-life follow-up study assessing the evolution in lung function, chest CT and ventilation distribution between 10 weeks and 6 months after diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. Results: Seventy-nine patients were assessed at 6 months of whom 63 had chest CT at both follow-up visits and 46 had multiple breath washout testing to obtain lung clearance index (LCI). The study group was divided into a restrictive (n = 39) and a non-restrictive subgroup (n = 40) based on TLC z-score. Restriction was associated with a history of intubation, neuromuscular blockade use and critical illness polyneuropathy. Restriction significantly improved over time, but was not resolved by 6 months (median TLC z-score of -2.2 [IQR: -2.7; -1.5] at 6 months versus -2.7 [IQR: -3.1; -2.1] at 10 weeks). LCI did not evolve between both follow-up visits. Symptoms and chest CT score improved irrespective of restriction. Conclusion: We observed a disconnect between the improvement of COVID-19 related symptoms, chest CT lesions, and corresponding lung function. While CT imaging is almost normalized at 6 months, a further reduction of pulmonary restriction may be hoped for beyond 6 months in those patients showing restriction at their first follow-up visit.