A study has revealed that spontaneous recovery of lung function after COVID-19-related pneumonia may appear faster at first but occurs more slowly thereafter over 6-month period, likely as a result of the different degree of severity of the disease.
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How Does COVID-19 Affect Your Lungs?
COVID-19 affects your lungs by making it tough for you
to breath as the virus is making your lungs inflamed. This lung inflammation
can lead to pneumonia – an infection of the tiny air sacs, called the alveoli,
inside your lungs where your blood exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide.
COVID 19 virus moves down to your respiratory tract – which
is the airway that includes your mouth, nose, throat, and lungs. The lower airways
have more ACE2 receptors than the rest of our respiratory tract. This is why
COVID-19 has the likelihood to go deeper compared to other viruses like the
common cold.
Experts evaluated lung function in 40 individuals with
COVID-19 pneumonia. They acquired spirometry measurements including lung
volumes, mainly total lung capacity and lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide
at 3 months following hospital discharge. Individuals who had restrictive
ventilatory defect or impaired lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide or
both underwent re-assessment at 6 months utilizing global spirometry and
high-resolution computed tomography scanning of the chest.
There were 19 patients or 48% of the subject group,
had normal pulmonary functional tests, while 21 or 52% showed residual lung function
abnormalities at 3 months following hospital discharge. For patients with lung
function abnormalities, 4 or 19% had loss of lung volume only as evidenced by
total lung capacity reduction from group 1, 13 or 62% had reduced total lung
capacity and lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide from group 2, and 4 or
19% had isolated reduction in lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide from
group 3.
During the 6-month follow-up, all individuals in group
1 improved, although only one attained normalization of total lung capacity.
From group 2, while total lung capacity and lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide
increased significantly, only 3 patients attained normal values. And in group
3, lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide improved for most individuals
and normalized at 50%.
Meanwhile, an internal-built chest high-resolution
computed tomography scan severity score at 6 months was significantly
correlated with total lung capacity and lung diffusion capacity for carbon
monoxide.
Outcomes revealed the utility of pulmonary function
tests for detecting the existence and nature of the residual lung damage
following COVID-19-related pneumonia and for monitoring its natural course.
Experts have emphasized that individuals who most likely will not recover at 6
months, and perhaps event better at 3 months, should be identified and treated
accordingly to maximize the potential recovery of their pulmonary function.
Source: Respir Med 2021;doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2021.106541