Assessment of a close respiratory follow-up schedule at 3 and 6 months after acute COVID-19 and its related investigations.
Dyspnea
Long-COVID
Monitoring
Pulmonary function tests
SARS-COV-2
Journal
Respiratory medicine
ISSN: 1532-3064
Titre abrégé: Respir Med
Pays: England
ID NLM: 8908438
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
10 2023
10 2023
Historique:
received:
24
02
2023
revised:
17
07
2023
accepted:
19
07
2023
medline:
16
8
2023
pubmed:
22
7
2023
entrez:
21
7
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Respiratory sequela after acute COVID-19 is common and requires medical follow-up. Considering its vast economic impact, there is still no consensus regarding the mid-term follow-up plan after recovery. To evaluate the necessity of a close pulmonary follow-up schedule after acute COVID-19 and its related investigations. A prospective cohort study including adult patients after acute COVID-19 pneumonia. Patients were invited or referred to a 3- and 6-month follow-up visits at a large pulmonary institute in a tertiary center. Before each visit, patients completed demographic and clinical questionnaires, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), and chest CT scans. 168 patients were included after completing both visits (medians of 80 and 177 days). Their mean age was 58 ± 15 and 52% recovered from severe or critical COVID-19. Between the two visits, there was no change in DLCOc (mean 73 ± 18 %predicted in both visits) and FVC (mean 90 ± 16 vs. 89 ± 16 %predicted). The COPD assessment tool and modified Medical Research Council scale had inverse correlations with the DLCOc, and similarly did not change between the visits. Occupational exposures were the only factor associated with a change in DLCOc during follow-up (3% decrease, p = 0.04). An improvement in chest CT findings at the second visit was not associated with a change in PFTs. Most clinical variables did not change during a close follow-up schedule in the first six months after acute COVID-19. Such a follow-up plan does not appear necessary and should be personalized to limit excessive costs and resources.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Respiratory sequela after acute COVID-19 is common and requires medical follow-up. Considering its vast economic impact, there is still no consensus regarding the mid-term follow-up plan after recovery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the necessity of a close pulmonary follow-up schedule after acute COVID-19 and its related investigations.
METHODS
A prospective cohort study including adult patients after acute COVID-19 pneumonia. Patients were invited or referred to a 3- and 6-month follow-up visits at a large pulmonary institute in a tertiary center. Before each visit, patients completed demographic and clinical questionnaires, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), and chest CT scans.
RESULTS
168 patients were included after completing both visits (medians of 80 and 177 days). Their mean age was 58 ± 15 and 52% recovered from severe or critical COVID-19. Between the two visits, there was no change in DLCOc (mean 73 ± 18 %predicted in both visits) and FVC (mean 90 ± 16 vs. 89 ± 16 %predicted). The COPD assessment tool and modified Medical Research Council scale had inverse correlations with the DLCOc, and similarly did not change between the visits. Occupational exposures were the only factor associated with a change in DLCOc during follow-up (3% decrease, p = 0.04). An improvement in chest CT findings at the second visit was not associated with a change in PFTs.
CONCLUSIONS
Most clinical variables did not change during a close follow-up schedule in the first six months after acute COVID-19. Such a follow-up plan does not appear necessary and should be personalized to limit excessive costs and resources.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37479120
pii: S0954-6111(23)00255-X
doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2023.107367
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
107367Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.