@article {Qin2003677, author = {Wei Qin and Shi Chen and Yunxia Zhang and Fen Dong and Zhu Zhang and Bingzhu Hu and Ziyang Zhu and Fajiu Li and Xiaojiang Wang and Yimin Wang and Kaiyuan Zhen and Jing Wang and YuLei Wan and Hongbo Li and Isma{\"\i}l Elalamy and Chenghong Li and Zhenguo Zhai and Chen Wang}, title = {Diffusion capacity abnormalities for carbon monoxide in patients with COVID-19 at 3-month follow-up}, volume = {58}, number = {1}, elocation-id = {2003677}, year = {2021}, doi = {10.1183/13993003.03677-2020}, publisher = {European Respiratory Society}, abstract = {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 palpitations and 56 (9\%) with dyspnoea. The prevalence of each of the three symptoms were markedly higher in severe patients than nonsevere patients (19\% versus 10\% for weakness, p=0.003; 14\% versus 7\% for palpitations, p=0.007; 12\% versus 7\% for dyspnoea, p=0.014). Results of multivariable regression showed increased odds of ongoing symptoms among severe patients (OR 1.7, 95\% CI 1.1{\textendash}2.6; p=0.026) or patients with longer hospital stays (OR 1.03, 95\% CI 1.00{\textendash}1.05; p=0.041). Pulmonary function test results were available for 81 patients, including 41 nonsevere and 40 severe patients. In this subgroup, 44 (54\%) patients manifested abnormal diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) (68\% severe versus 42\% nonsevere patients, p=0.019). Chest computed tomography (CT) total severity score \>10.5 (OR 10.4, 95\% CI 2.5{\textendash}44.1; p=0.001) on admission and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (OR 4.6, 95\% CI 1.4{\textendash}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 total severity score of chest CT \>10.5 and ARDS occurrence. Pulmonary interstitial damage might contribute to the imparied DLCO.COVID-19 patients present with impaired DLCO at 90 days after discharge, particularly severe patients. Chest CT TSS \>10.5 and ARDS occurrence are associated with impaired DLCO. Pulmonary interstitial damage may contribute to the impaired DLCO. https://bit.ly/2JevUtm}, issn = {0903-1936}, URL = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/1/2003677}, eprint = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/1/2003677.full.pdf}, journal = {European Respiratory Journal} }