Clinical, functional and radiological long-term follow-up of pneumonia cases treated for COVID-19

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> The clinical, functional and radiological course of the cases with Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pneumonia in the long-term follow-up is not clearly known. <b>Aim and objectives:</b> To evaluate long-term changes in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. <b>Methods:</b> Demographic data, smoking history, comorbidities, symptoms at diagnosis and follow-up were recorded from hospital files, laboratory and radiological findings, and pulmonary function tests of the patients were examined prospectively.&nbsp;In the third month follow-up, the patient groups with and without intensive care unit(ICU) hospitalization were compared clinically, functionally and radiologically. <b>Results:</b> 39(57.4%) of 68 patients admitted after COVID pneumonia were male. Mean age was 57±13.56 years ; 23(33.8%) patients had a history of smoking and 43(63.2%) patients had comorbidities. 52(76.5%) patients were hospitalized for the treatment of COVID-19, and 19(27.9%) patients were admitted to the ICU. While dyspnea was the most common complaint in the follow-up, fatigue was found to be significantly higher in the group admitted to the ICU(p:0.001). Ground glass appearance on thorax CT, interstitial fibrosis and subpleural reticulation were found to be significant in the group with ICU admission(p:0.045, p:0.046, p:0.010). FVC, MMF, DLCO, TLC, and RV values in pulmonary function tests were found to be significantly different between the group with and without ICU admission(p: 0.005, p:0.024, p:0.060, p:0.002, p:0.027). <b>Conclusion:</b> The third-month follow-up parameters of the patients with a history of hospitalization in the ICU, were worse. Longer follow-ups are needed to determine the course of patients after COVID-19 pneumonia