Progressive residual lung abnormalities as final outcome in recovered severe COVID-19 pneumonia with lung function abnormalities in spirometry: Pulmonologist and radiologist perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT Coronavirus coronavirus-related (severe acute respiratory syndrome-corona virus-2) global pandemic has caused significant mortality and morbidity globally in the last 3 years. Although the pandemic has weaned off since last year, we are not in great peace of relief due to lingering effects of COVID-19 persisted even after 2 years of illness. These long COVID-19 manifestations are documented selected cases of COVID-19 pneumonia in pulmonary and extrapulmonary systems with variable impact on quality of life. In the present case report, a 57-year-old male, presented in the outdoor unit for shortness of breath on exertion, on oxygen supplementation at home during ambulation with a history of severe COVID-19 pneumonia resulted in acute respiratory distress syndrome with hospitalization in the intensive care unit 12 months back and required high flow nasal cannula with noninvasive ventilatory support for 3 weeks. His clinical and radiological severity were very well correlated with highly raised inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, and D-Dimer. He was offered oxygen supplementation at home with antifibrotics for 3 months and observed significant improvement in clinical and radiological outcomes with persistent requirement of oxygen during ambulation and persistent respiratory symptoms even after 1 year of discharge from hospital. Rheumatological workup documented antinuclear antibody (ANA) and rheumatoid factor positive with inconclusive ANA profile reports. His high-resolution computerized tomography thorax documented at 1 year of discharge from the hospital revealed typical interstitial opacities labeled as progressive residual lung abnormalities (PRLAs) which are predominantly reticular and linear opacities in peripheral parts of lungs with honeycombing within typical pleural-based areas with parenchymal bands and altered lung architecture and decreased lung volume in both lungs. Honeycombing is a typical feature of progressive type of RLAs. We recommend these radiological outcome phenotypes as progressive radiological abnormalities (RLAs) at 1 year should be considered pulmonary fibrosis of unclassified type from a pulmonologist perspective due to pattern and presentation after COVID-19 which is not enrolled into interstitial lung disease classification as of now and progressive pulmonary fibrosis as per radiologists’ perspective due to progressive nature of the disease.