Pulmonary features of Long Covid-19: Where are we now?

Abstract

Objectives Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has led to the Covid-19 pandemic that has resulted in millions of deaths and severe morbidity worldwide. Clinicians are now faced with an increasing number of long-term complications of Covid-19, defined as “post-acute COVID-19 syndrome”. Most studies have focused on severe COVID-19, however post-acute COVID-19 syndrome mostly exists in outpatients and had limited published literature. Given the diversity of its symptoms and the persistence of its symptoms, the management of these patients requires a multidisciplinary approach, that will result in the utilization of large amounts of health resources in the coming months and even years. In this review, we discuss the clinical and radiological presentation, pathophysiology, and management of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. Key Findings: The persistence of respiratory symptoms, like dyspnea and cough, beyond 4 weeks from the onset of symptoms is considered Long Covid-19 syndrome. Dyspnea is the most frequent respiratory symptom reported after COVID-19. Symptom of cough is found to be less common than dyspnea after Covid-19 infection. Post-COVID-19 dyspnea can affect patients with even initially mild COVID-19 and no evidence of organ damage. Conclusion: In this review, we have discussed the clinical and radiological presentation, pathophysiology, and management of pulmonary features associated with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. Implications for practice: For radiologists, this is an upcoming topic of extreme significance and few published literatures exist on this specific evolving disease.