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Cardiopulmonary recovery after COVID-19: an observational prospective multicentre trial

2020; European Respiratory Society; Volume: 57; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1183/13993003.03481-2020

1399-3003

Thomas Sonnweber, Sabina Sahanic, Alex Pizzini, Anna Luger, Christoph Schwabl, Bettina Sonnweber, Katharina Kurz, Sabine Koppelstätter, David Haschka, Verena Petzer, Anna Boehm, Magdalena Aichner, Piotr Tymoszuk, Daniela Lener, Markus Theurl, Almut Lorsbach-Köhler, Amra Tancevski, Anna Schapfl, Marc Schaber, Richard Hilbe, Manfred Nairz, Bernhard Puchner, Doris Hüttenberger, Christoph Tschurtschenthaler, Malte Aßhoff, Andreas Peer, Frank Härtig, Romuald Bellmann, Michael Joannidis, Can Gollmann‐Tepeköylü, Johannes Holfeld, Gudrun Feuchtner, Alexander Egger, Gregor Hoermann, Andrea Schroll, Gernot Fritsche, Sophie Wildner, Rosa Bellmann‐Weiler, Rudolf Kirchmair, Raimund Helbok, Helmut Prosch, Dietmar Rieder, Zlatko Trajanoski, Florian Kronenberg, Ewald Wöll, Günter Weiß, Gerlig Widmann, Judith Löffler‐Ragg, Ivan Tancevski,

Respiratory Support and Mechanisms

Background After the 2002/2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak, 30% of survivors exhibited persisting structural pulmonary abnormalities. The long-term pulmonary sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are yet unknown, and comprehensive clinical follow-up data are lacking. Methods In this prospective, multicentre, observational study, we systematically evaluated the cardiopulmonary damage in subjects recovering from COVID-19 at 60 and 100 days after confirmed diagnosis. We conducted a detailed questionnaire, clinical examination, laboratory testing, lung function analysis, echocardiography and thoracic low-dose computed tomography (CT). Results Data from 145 COVID-19 patients were evaluated, and 41% of all subjects exhibited persistent symptoms 100 days after COVID-19 onset, with dyspnoea being most frequent (36%). Accordingly, patients still displayed an impaired lung function, with a reduced diffusing capacity in 21% of the cohort being the most prominent finding. Cardiac impairment, including a reduced left ventricular function or signs of pulmonary hypertension, was only present in a minority of subjects. CT scans unveiled persisting lung pathologies in 63% of patients, mainly consisting of bilateral ground-glass opacities and/or reticulation in the lower lung lobes, without radiological signs of pulmonary fibrosis. Sequential follow-up evaluations at 60 and 100 days after COVID-19 onset demonstrated a vast improvement of symptoms and CT abnormalities over time. Conclusion A relevant percentage of post-COVID-19 patients presented with persisting symptoms and lung function impairment along with radiological pulmonary abnormalities >100 days after the diagnosis of COVID-19. However, our results indicate a significant improvement in symptoms and cardiopulmonary status over time.