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Review
. 2025 Aug 9;17(8):1098.
doi: 10.3390/v17081098.

Breathless Aftermath: Post-COVID-19 Pulmonary Fibrosis

Dharanya Muthiah  1   2 , Kishore Vaddadi  1   2 , Lin Liu  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Breathless Aftermath: Post-COVID-19 Pulmonary Fibrosis

Dharanya Muthiah et al. Viruses. .

Abstract

A significant number of individuals recovering from COVID-19 continue to experience persistent symptoms, collectively referred to as Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), or long COVID. Among these complications, post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis (PC19-PF) is one of the most severe long-term outcomes, characterized by progressive lung scarring, chronic respiratory impairment, and reduced quality of life. Despite the increasing prevalence of PC19-PF, its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of PC19-PF, including its epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic strategies, and mechanistic insights. Additionally, we highlight the shared pathways between PC19-PF and other fibrotic lung diseases and discuss emerging therapeutic strategies. This review consolidates emerging insights from both clinical and experimental studies to advance our understanding of PC19-PF pathogenesis and guide the development of mechanism-based therapeutic approaches.

Keywords: biomarker; inflammation; long COVID; pulmonary fibrosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PC19-PF-associated risk factors and their diagnostic approaches. (Created with biorender.com).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Illustration of the potential mechanisms of PC19-PF (created with biorender.com).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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