Evaluation of 3-month follow-up of patients with postacute COVID-19 syndrome.

Abstract

In addition to the highly variable clinical presentation of acute COVID‐19 infection, it can also cause various postacute signs and symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate patients with postacute COVID‐19 over 12 weeks of follow‐up. The study included 151 patients who were diagnosed with COVID‐19 by real‐time polymerase chain reaction of a nasopharyngeal swab 1 month earlier, had radiologic findings consistent with COVID‐19 pneumonia, and presented to the post‐COVID‐19 outpatient clinic between May and August 2021. The patients were divided into three groups based on COVID‐19 severity: nonsevere pneumonia (Group 1), severe pneumonia (Group 2), and severe pneumonia requiring intensive care (Group 3). Evaluation of laboratory parameters at 4 and 12 weeks showed that Group 3 had a higher lactose dehydrogenase (LDH) level and a lower mean platelet volume than the other groups at both time points (p = 0.001 for all). Group 3 also had lower percent predicted forced vital capacity (FVC%), percent predicted forced expiration volume in 1 s (FEV1%), and percent predicted diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide divided by alveolar volume (DLCO/VA%) compared to Groups 1 and 2 at Week 4 (p = 0.001, 0.004, 0.001, respectively) and compared to Group 1 at 12 weeks (p = 0.002, 0.03, 0.001, respectively). Patients with persistent dyspnea at 12 weeks had significantly lower FEV1%, FVC%, DLCO/VA%, and saturation levels in room air and significantly higher LDH, pro‐BNP, D‐dimer, and heart rate compared to those without dyspnea (p = 0.001 for all). Although the lungs are most commonly affected after COVID‐19 infection, vascular and endothelial damage also causes multisystem involvement. Our study indicates that laboratory values, radiological signs, and pulmonary functional capacity improved in most patients after 12 weeks of follow‐up.