LONG -TERM FOLLOW-UP OF COVID-19 PATIENTS TO ASSESS THE RISK FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF POST-COVID FIBROSIS

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to nd the risk factors associated with the development of brosis in follow-up CT in patients of COVID-19 pneumonia. In this retrospective study, fty-four patients with RT-Methods: PCR proved COVID-19 pneumonia with two chest CTs in a 12-month interval between the initial and follow-up CT were included. Patients were classied into two groups: Patients with complete resolution and patients with brosis on follow-up CT. Demographic, laboratory, and therapeutic data and CT ndings were compared and analyzed. A total of 54 patientsResults: (38 men, 16 women) were included in this study. Post-COVID brosis and brotic-like changes were observed on follow-up CT scans in 34 of the 54 patients (63%). The remaining 20 patients (37%) showed no brotic changes with complete resolution. Patients with post covid brosis were signicantly older than those with normal CT. Males were affected more than females. Patients with post covid brosis had more comorbidities when compared with patients without comorbidities. Post-Covid brosis patients had a greater frequency of ICU admission, high frequency noninvasive mechanical ventilation( NIV), higher peak levels of C-reactive protein and D-dimer levels, low level of SpO2, and high CT Severity score in initial CT. Conclusion: Elderly patients, patients with comorbidities, high CT severity score, longer duration of hospital stay, ICU admission, high CRP and D dimer levels, Patients with NIV were associated with more prevalence of brosis in follow up CT.