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. 2022 Jan-Dec:19:14799731221114271.
doi: 10.1177/14799731221114271.

Pulmonary function and Quality of Life in a prospective cohort of (non-) hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia survivors up to six months

Marlise P de Roos  1 , Sebastiaan Siegerink  2 , Nynke G Dijkstra  1 , Birit Fp Broekman  2 , Kees Brinkman  3 , Nini H Jonkman  4 , Paul Bresser  1
Affiliations

Pulmonary function and Quality of Life in a prospective cohort of (non-) hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia survivors up to six months

Marlise P de Roos et al. Chron Respir Dis. 2022 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: A decrease of both diffusion capacity (DLCO) and Quality of Life (QoL) was reported after discharge in hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia survivors. We studied three and 6 month outcomes in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients.

Methods: COVID-19 pneumonia survivors (n = 317) were categorized into non-hospitalized "moderate" cases (n = 59), hospitalized "severe" cases (n = 180) and ICU-admitted "critical" cases (n = 39). We studied DLCO and QoL (Short Form SF-36 health survey) 3 and 6 months after discharge. Data were analyzed using (repeated measures) ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis or Chi-square test (p < .05).

Results: At 3 months DLCO was decreased in 44% of moderate-, 56% of severe- and 82% of critical cases (p < .003). Mean DLCO in critical cases (64±14%) was lower compared to severe (76 ± 17%) and moderate (81±15%) cases (p < .001). A total of 159/278 patients had a decreased DLCO (<80%), of whom the DLCO improved after 6 months in 45% (71/159). However the DLCO did not normalize in the majority (89%) of the cases (63 ± 10% vs 68±10%; p < .001). At 3 months, compared to critical cases, moderate cases scored lower on SF-36 domain "general health" (p < .05); both moderate and severe cases scored lower on the domain of "health change" (p < .05). At 6 months, there were no differences in SF-36 between the subgroups. Compared to 3 months, in all groups "physical functioning" improved; in contrast all groups scored significantly lower on "non-physical" SF-36 domains.

Conclusion: Three months after COVID-19 pneumonia, DLCO was still decreased in the more severely affected patients, with an incomplete recovery after 6 months. At 3 months QoL was impaired. At 6 months, while "physical functioning" improved, a decrease in "non-physical" QoL was observed but did not differ between the moderate and severely affected patients.

Keywords: COVID-19 pneumonia; diffusion capacity; long COVID; post-COVID syndrome; post-acute SARS-CoV-2-syndrome; pulmonary function; quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flowchart and reasons for non-attendance at 3 and 6 months.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
DLCO at 3 months (n = 278).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
(a) DLCO at 3 months compared to 6 months (n = 71), (b) DLCO at 3 months compared to 6 months between groups (n = 71).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
SF-36 domain outcomes at 3 months in the different subgroups.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Positive correlation between diffusion capacity and SF-36 physical functioning.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Positive correlation between diffusion capacity and SF-36 physical functioning (severe group).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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