Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many cases of pneumonia with extensive lung abnormalities on CT-scans. The consequences of COVID-19 pneumonia on survivors’ pulmonary function and quality of life are unknown. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of COVID-19 pneumonia on pulmonary function, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and perceived dyspnoea.
Methods: A prospective longitudinal cohort study regarding patients discharged from our hospital after PCR-proven, non-critical COVID-19 pneumonia was conducted. Cases were classified as moderate or severe pneumonia according to WHO definitions. Six weeks post-discharge subjects underwent interviews and pulmonary function tests, and completed questionnaires to assess their HRQoL, perceived dyspnoea (Borgscale and mMRC), and symptoms of depression and anxiety (HADS).
Results: 101 patients were included. Twenty-eight (27.7%) pneumonias were classified as moderate cases of COVID-19 pneumonia and 73 (72.3%) were classified as severe cases. Diffusion limitation (DLCOc < 80% of predicted value) was found in 66 (71.7%) of 92 cases, obstruction in 26 (25.7%) of 101, and restriction in 21 (21.2%) of 99. Diffusion capacity was significantly lower in cases after severe pneumonia. In the entire group, HADS scores ≥8 for depression were found in 16.6% and in 12.5% for anxiety. Across all SF-36 domains, except for bodily pain, significant impairment was found. FEV1 and DLCOc showed significant positive correlations with mMRC scores and multiple SF-36 domains, especially physical functioning.
Conclusion: COVID-19 non-critical pneumonia survivors have significant impairment in diffusion capacity and HRQOL six weeks after being discharged from hospital.
【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Anxiety, Depression, Pneumonia, COVID-19 pandemic, hospital, Pulmonary function, Patient, Pain, severe cases, Quality of life, severe pneumonia, moderate, questionnaire, Dyspnoea, diffusion capacity, Pulmonary function tests, CT-scans, domains, subject, positive correlation, longitudinal cohort study, impairment, mMRC, significantly lower, survivor, HADS, physical, consequence, predicted, conducted, discharged, lung abnormality, many case, symptoms of depression, WHO definitions, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, Pneumonia, pulmonary, Quality of life,