TY - JOUR T1 - COVID-19: Is pulmonary damage present after 10 weeks follow-up? JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.OA87 VL - 58 IS - suppl 65 SP - OA87 AU - Nienke Paternotte AU - Ludmilla Messer AU - Willemien Thijs AU - Ella Van Den Hout AU - Suat Simsek AU - Astrid Aardenburg - Van Huisstede AU - Wim Boersma Y1 - 2021/09/05 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/OA87.abstract N2 - Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) is causing significant morbidity and mortality. 75% of hospitalized patients develops pneumonia. Long-term effects are currently unknown. We assessed the pulmonary function and radiological improvement in post-COVID-19 patients.Methods: In this combined prospective and retrospective cohort study, we included discharged COVID-19 patients who visited the outpatient clinic for a first follow-up visit between May 2020 and January 2021. Chest X-ray and pulmonary function tests, including spirometry and measurement of carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO), were performed.Results: 175 consecutive COVID-19 survivors visiting the outpatient clinic were included. The median time to follow-up was 69 (IQR:61-90.5) days. Patients were stratified into critical/severe (n=92) and moderate/mild (n=83) disease based on the WHO classification (Clinical management of COVID-19. WHO/2019-nCoV/clinical/2020.5).Discussion: In the majority of the patients, pulmonary function tests were normal and complete resolution of radiographic consolidations was common. Compared to moderate and mild cases, patients with severe or critical COVID-19 had a significantly lower DLCO, TLC, and FVC and less improvement of radiographic abnormalities. We therefore recommend systematic respiratory follow-up mainly in the more severe cases recovering from COVID-19.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, OA87.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). ER -