RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Dyspnoea, lung function and CT findings three months after hospital admission for COVID-19
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 2003448
DO 10.1183/13993003.03448-2020
A1 Tøri Vigeland Lerum
A1 Trond Mogens Aaløkken
A1 Eivind Brønstad
A1 Bernt Aarli
A1 Eirik Ikdahl
A1 Kristine Marie Aarberg Lund
A1 Michael T. Durheim
A1 Jezabel Rivero Rodriguez
A1 Carin Meltzer
A1 Kristian Tonby
A1 Knut Stavem
A1 Ole Henning Skjønsberg
A1 Haseem Ashraf
A1 Gunnar Einvik
YR 2020
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2020/11/26/13993003.03448-2020.abstract
AB The long-term pulmonary outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are unknown. We aimed to describe self-reported dyspnoea, quality of life, pulmonary function, and chest CT findings three months following hospital admission for COVID-19. We hypothesised outcomes to be inferior for patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU), compared with non-ICU patients.Discharged COVID-19-patients from six Norwegian hospitals were consecutively enrolled in a prospective cohort study. The current report describes the first 103 participants, including 15 ICU patients. Modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale (mMRC), EuroQol Group's Questionnaire, spirometry, diffusion capacity (DLCO), six-minute walk test, pulse oximetry, and low-dose CT scan were performed three months after discharge.mMRC was >0 in 54% and >1 in 19% of the participants. The median (25th–75th percentile) forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second were 94% (76, 121) and 92% (84, 106) of predicted, respectively. DLCO was below the lower limit of normal in 24%. Ground-glass opacities (GGO) with >10% distribution in ≥1 of 4 pulmonary zones were present in 25%, while 19% had parenchymal bands on chest CT. ICU survivors had similar dyspnoea scores and pulmonary function as non-ICU patients, but higher prevalence of GGO (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 4.2 [1.1, 15.6]) and performance in lower usual activities.Three months after admission for COVID-19, one fourth of the participants had chest CT opacities and reduced diffusion capacity. Admission to ICU was associated with pathological CT findings. This was not reflected in increased dyspnoea or impaired lung function.Three months after discharge, one-fourth of COVID-19 survivors have reduced gas diffusion capacity and persistent parenchymal opacities. ICU treatment is associated with persistent parenchymal opacities, but not with dyspnoea or reduced diffusion capacity.