<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec><h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>Despite the evolving knowledge about COVID-19 convalescents, there is still not enough data to validate simple methods of identifying the non-improvers. Our objective: to look for bad prognostic factors in long-COVID.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Methods</h3>
<p>We conducted a prospective observational study among previously hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Individual characteristics were gathered and pulmonary function tests - spirometry and lung transfer for carbon monoxide (TL,CO) – were performed twice, approximately one and three months after hospitalization from COVID-19. Control radiological examinations were repeated and compared at the time of the study.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3>
<p>After dividing the study group (30 patients) according to improvement in forced vital capacity (FVC) and/or TL,CO we observed that the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) acquired from spirometry accurately indicates clinical improvement with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.892 (95% CI 0.73 – 1). Notable differences were found in estimated total lung capacity (eTLC) and radiological score as well.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>Our findings suggest that simple spirometry with FEV1 assessment performed in the post-COVID period helps select individuals with impaired recovery that should presumably be referred to a respiratory specialist and pulmonary rehabilitation.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
Despite the evolving knowledge about COVID-19 convalescents, there is still not enough data to validate simple methods of identifying the non-improvers. Our objective: to look for bad prognostic factors in long-COVID.

Methods
We conducted a prospective observational study among previously hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Individual characteristics were gathered and pulmonary function tests - spirometry and lung transfer for carbon monoxide (TL,CO) – were performed twice, approximately one and three months after hospitalization from COVID-19. Control radiological examinations were repeated and compared at the time of the study.

Results
After dividing the study group (30 patients) according to improvement in forced vital capacity (FVC) and/or TL,CO we observed that the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) acquired from spirometry accurately indicates clinical improvement with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.892 (95% CI 0.73 – 1). Notable differences were found in estimated total lung capacity (eTLC) and radiological score as well.

Conclusions
Our findings suggest that simple spirometry with FEV1 assessment performed in the post-COVID period helps select individuals with impaired recovery that should presumably be referred to a respiratory specialist and pulmonary rehabilitation.

The use of simple pulmonary function tests in the post-COVID-19 pulmonary improvement prediction: lessons from a single-center study

Department of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Center for Lung Diseases and Rehabilitation

Pneumologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Introduction
Despite the evolving knowledge about COVID-19 convalescents, there is still not enough data to validate simple methods of identifying the...

The use of simple pulmonary function tests in the post-COVID-19 pulmonary improvement prediction: lessons from a single-center study

Published Online: Jun 10, 2024

Page range: 79 - 84

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pneum-2024-0012

Keywords
COVID-19, Long COVID, Post-COVID Conditions, Respiratory Function Tests, Oxygen Inhalation Therapy

© 2023 Krystian T. Bartczak et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The use of simple pulmonary function tests in the post-COVID-19 pulmonary improvement prediction: lessons from a single-center study

Published Online: Jun 10, 2024

Page range: 79 - 84

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pneum-2024-0012

KeywordsCOVID-19, Long COVID, Post-COVID Conditions, Respiratory Function Tests, Oxygen Inhalation Therapy

© 2023 Krystian T. Bartczak et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
COVID-19, Long COVID, Post-COVID Conditions, Respiratory Function Tests, Oxygen Inhalation Therapy