Abstract
Introduction/Aim: The aim of this study was to assess factors that could have potential impact on significant decreasing of DLco in severe COVID-19 patients in early convalescence phase.
Methodology: This monocenter case series describes 13 severe patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection, who were admitted to the ICU at Clinical Center Kragujevac between March and Jun 2020. After 30 days of follow-up from the day of the discharge from the hospital, patients underwent single-breath measurement of lung diffusion capacity for carbon-monoxide (DL, co) and were divided into two groups (DLco<60% and DLco ≥60%). To quantify the extent of infection we used modified Radiographic Assessment of Lung Edema (mRALE) score. Patients with a previous history of chronic respiratory diseases have been excluded.
Results: 8 patients (61.5%) had DL, co below 60% of predicitive values with the majority of them had preserved lung volumes (VA). Significantly higher mean values of pronflammatory markers at admission was found in the group with DLco<60%: CRP (141.80 ± 83.48 vs. 82.25 ± 43.44mg/l; p = 0.04), procalcitonin (0.31± 1.76 vs. 0.10 ± 0.04 ng/mL, respectively; p = 0.043), ferritin (1234.45 ± 425.12 vs. 628.25 ± 423.8 mcg/L, respectively; p = 0.02). Procoagulant status at admission was more impaired in the group with DL, co<60%. mRALE score was significantly higher in DL, co <60% group during day 7 and one month after hospital discharge.
Conclusion: Significant reduction of DL, co in severe COVID-19 patients in early convalescence phase is associated with higher inflammatory indicators and coagulopathy at hospital admission and mRALE score.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA3171.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021