COVID-19 and lung damage in obese patients: results of a prospective study

Abstract

Introduction. The new coronavirus infection continues to be an urgent health problem worldwide. At the moment, the consequences of the transferred COVID-19 need to be studied.Objective. To study the clinical features, the severity of lung damage in patients with different body weights, 12 weeks after a new coronavirus infection with lung damage.Materials and methods. The prospective study included 52 patients (28 women, 24 men, aged 63.4 ± 13.3 years [30–84 years], hospitalized in the therapeutic department of the Sechenov University UKB No. 1 3 months after COVID-19 with lung damage > 50%. The need for respiratory support, the degree of lung tissue damage were assessed according to high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), the results of spirometry with DLCO, data from a 6-minute walking test (6MWT). The analysis of the indicators was carried out taking into account the body mass index (BMI), which was used as a criterion for determining overweight and obesity.Results. In obese patients, 12 weeks after the disease, shortness of breath and cough were more common. It was revealed that a high BMI significantly affected the diffusion capacity of the lungs in patients after COVID-associated pneumonia, the preservation of pathological patterns according to the results of HRCT. Conclusions. Obesity is not only a risk factor for the severe course of COVID–19, but also in many ways the reason determining the long-term rehabilitation of patients after infection.