Certain patients who recover from severe pneumonia due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain symptomatic in the post-infectious period, either clinically, radiologically, or respiratory. The post-COVID-19 period is characterized by clinical symptoms of varying duration from one subject to another and does not seem to depend on the severity of initial pneumonia. The persisting inflammatory and/or immune reactions in the post-COVID-19 period may play a role in the development of pulmonary lesions. Here, we report the case of a 61-year-old man with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary embolism, which required the patient’s admission to the intensive care unit and high-flow oxygen therapy. The patient was hospitalized for 23 days for the management of his severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Afterwards, he was discharged home following a negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test. The post-COVID-19 period was characterized by a complex respiratory symptomatology associating cough, resting dyspnea, and exertional dyspnea requiring oxygen therapy for several weeks. Surprisingly, the follow-up chest CT scan performed 4 weeks after discharge revealed bilateral interstitial lung lesions. After ruling out pulmonary superinfection, the patient was treated with oral corticosteroid for 3 months at a digressive dose. In our case, the use of corticosteroid therapy in the post-COVID19 phase had improved the outcome of the lung disease. These benefits are characterized by a rapid symptomatic improvement, accelerated repair of pulmonary images, rapid oxygen withdrawal, and rapid return to daily activities.
【저자키워드】 Corticosteroid, ARDS, Severe COVID-19 pneumonia, Organizing pneumonia, Interstitial lung diseases, post-COVID-19 infection, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, Hospitalized, intensive care, Pneumonia, severity, Lung disease, oxygen, outcome, Withdrawal, cough, discharge, symptomatic, management, Dyspnea, Patient, Oxygen therapy, Follow-up, severe pneumonia, Admission, acute respiratory distress, dose, Inflammatory, chest CT scan, lung lesions, subject, clinical symptom, complex, syndrome, activities, pulmonary lesions, SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, corticosteroid therapy, immune reaction, high-flow oxygen therapy, benefit, symptomatic improvement, interstitial, discharged home, initial, performed, the patient, clinically, required, characterized, treated, accelerated, 【제목키워드】 role, Potential,