PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTING IN RECOVERED PATIENTS WITH COVID-19

Abstract

TYPE: Abstract TOPIC: Chest Infections PURPOSE: This study seeks to establish whether patients who have recovered from acute Covid-19 infection continue to have deficits in pulmonary function. METHODS: Chart review of an internal medicine practice in Los Angeles identifies 15 patients who were within 15 months of having been diagnosed with Covid-19, who did not remain on supplemental oxygen, and who had completed office pulmonary function tests using NDD Medical Technologies EasyPro. RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that all patients with Covid-19 with abnormal chest x-ray findings at presentation had impaired diffusion of CO within the year of recovery, 4/7 lost alveolar volume, 3/7 have reduced gas exchange out of proportion to their loss in alveolar volume, 6/8 have reduced FEV1, 4/8 have small airway disease, and 7/8 of the patients identified with abnormal chest x-rays suffered from obesity. Of patients with normal chest x-rays, 2/7 still had impaired DLCO, 4/7 had reduced FEV1 and reduced FVC, 5/7 had small airway disease, and 6/7 suffered from obesity. Post Covid patients loose functional alveoli and lung parenchyma--consistent with autopsy reports showing alveolar capillary thrombosis, intraalveolar inflammatory infiltrates, and tracheal submucosal infiltrates.1, 2, 3 Decreased DLCO in outpatients parallels reports of suriving ICU patients.4 CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Further study is warranted to see if Covid causes permanent fibrosis of the interstitial space resulting in permanent lung damage. Scaling up the number of participating patients, and having longer term follow up will help.