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Review
. 2022 May:77:103590.
doi: 10.1016/j.amsu.2022.103590. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Post COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis; a meta-analysis study

Bnar J Hama Amin  1 , Fahmi H Kakamad  1   2   3 , Gasha S Ahmed  4   5 , Shaho F Ahmed  1 , Berwn A Abdulla  1   2 , Shvan H Mohammed  2 , Tomas M Mikael  1   2 , Rawezh Q Salih  1   2 , Razhan K Ali  6 , Abdulwahid M Salh  1   3 , Dahat A Hussein  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Post COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis; a meta-analysis study

Bnar J Hama Amin et al. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2022 May.

Abstract

Introduction; Pulmonary fibrosis is a frequently reported COVID-19 sequela in which the exact prevalence and risk factors are yet to be established. This meta-analysis aims to investigate the prevalence of post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis (PCPF) and the potential risk factors. Methods; CINAHL, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were searched to identify English language studies published up to December 3, 2021. Results; The systematic search initially revealed a total of 618 articles - of which only 13 studies reporting 2018 patients were included in this study. Among the patients, 1047 (51.9%) were male and 971 (48.1%) were female. The mean age was 54.5 years (15-94). The prevalence of PCPF was 44.9%. The mean age was 59 years in fibrotic patients and 48.5 years in non-fibrotic patients. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was the only comorbidity associated with PCPF. Fibrotic patients more commonly suffered from persistent symptoms of dyspnea, cough, chest pain, fatigue, and myalgia (p-value < 0.05). Factors related to COVID-19 severity that were associated with PCPF development included computed tomography score of ≥18, ICU admission, invasive/non-invasive mechanical ventilation, longer hospitalization period, and steroid, antibiotic and immunoglobulin treatments (p-value < 0.05). Parenchymal bands (284/341), ground-glass opacities (552/753), interlobular septal thickening (220/381), and consolidation (197/319) were the most common lung abnormalities found in fibrotic patients. Conclusion, About 44.9% of COVID-19 survivors appear to have developed pulmonary fibrosis. Factors related to COVID-19 severity were significantly associated with PCPF development.

Keywords: COVID-19; Meta-analysis; Post-COVID; Prevalence; Pulmonary fibrosis.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study selection PRISMA flow chart.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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