ARDS

Pulmonary function testing

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Lung function

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Internal medicine

Diffusing capacity

Medicine

Gastroenterology

Disease

Lung

DLCO

European Respiratory Journal

Objective To evaluate pulmonary function and clinical symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors within 3 months after hospital discharge, and to identify risk factors associated with impaired lung function. Methods and material COVID-19 patients were prospectively followed up with pulmonary function tests and clinical characteristics for 3 months following discharge from a hospital in Wuhan, China between January and February 2020. Results 647 patients were included. 87 (13%) patients presented with weakness, 63 (10%) with palpitation and 56 (9%) with dyspnea. Prevalences of the three symptoms were markedly higher in severe patients than non-severe patients (19% versus 10% for weakness, p=0.003; 14% versus 7% for palpitation, p=0.007; 12% versus 7% for dyspnea, p=0.014). Results of multivariable regression showed an increased odd in the ongoing symptoms among severe patients (OR: 1.7, 95%CI: 1.1–2.6, p=0.026) or patients with longer hospital stay (OR: 1.03, 95%CI: 1.00–1.05, p=0.041). Pulmonary function test results were available for 81 patients, including 41 non-severe and 40 severe patients. In this subgroup, 44 (54%) patients manifested abnormal diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) (68% severe versus 42% non-severe patients, p=0.019). Chest CT total severity score (TSS)&gt;10.5 (OR: 10.4; 95%CI: 2.5–44.1; p=0.001) on admission and ARDS (OR: 4.6; 95%CI: 1.4–15.5; p=0.014) were significantly associated with impaired DLCO. Pulmonary interstitial damage may be associated with abnormal DLCO. Conclusion Pulmonary function, particularly DLCO, declined in COVID-19 survivors. This decrease was associated with TSS of chest CT &gt;10.5 and ARDS occurrence. Pulmonary interstitial damage might contribute to the imparied DLCO.

Diffusion Capacity Abnormalities for Carbon Monoxide in Patients with COVID-19 At Three-Month Follow-up