tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Tuberk Toraks
. 2021 Dec;69(4):492-498.
doi: 10.5578/tt.20219607.
Pulmonary fibrotic-like changes on follow-up chest CT exam in patients recovering from COVID-19 pneumonia
Ahmet Vural[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ahmet Nedim Kahraman[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Introduction: To date, there is limited data on the long-term changes in the lungs of patients recovering from coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia. In order to evaluate pulmonary sequelae, it was planned to investigate fibrotic changes observed as sequelae in lung tissue in 3-6-month control thorax computerized tomography (CT) scans of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 pneumonia survivors.
Materials and methods: A total of 84 patients (mean age: 67.3 years ±15) with moderate-to-severe pneumonia on chest tomography at the time of diagnosis were included in the study, of which 51 (61%) were males and 33 (39%) were females. Initial and follow-up CT scans averaged 8.3 days ± 2.2 and 112.1 days ± 14.6 after symptom onset, respectively. Participants were recorded in two groups as those with and without fibrotic-like changes such as traction bronchiectasis, fibrotic - parenchymal bands, honeycomb appearance according to 3-6 months follow-up CT scans. Differences between the groups were evaluated with a two-sampled t-test. Logistic regression analyzes were performed to determine independent predictive factors of fibrotic-like sequelae changes.
Result: On follow-up CTs, fibrotic-like changes were observed in 29 (35%) of the 84 participants (Group 1), while the remaining 55 (65%) showed complete radiological recovery (Group 2). With logistic regression analysis, hospital stay of 22 days or longer (OR: 4.9; 95% CI: 20, 32; p< 0.05) and a CT score of 15 or more at diagnosis (OR: 2.2; 95% CI: 13.5, 18; p< 0.05) were found to be an independent predictor for sequelae fibrotic changes in lung tissue.
Conclusions: More than one-third of patients who survived COVID-19 pneumonia had fibrotic-like sequelae changes in the lung parenchyma. These changes were found to be associated with the presence of severe pneumonia at the time of diagnosis and longer hospital stay.
. 2021 Dec;69(4):492-498.
doi: 10.5578/tt.20219607.
Pulmonary fibrotic-like changes on follow-up chest CT exam in patients recovering from COVID-19 pneumonia
Ahmet Vural[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ahmet Nedim Kahraman[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34957743
- DOI: 10.5578/tt.20219607
Abstract
Introduction: To date, there is limited data on the long-term changes in the lungs of patients recovering from coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia. In order to evaluate pulmonary sequelae, it was planned to investigate fibrotic changes observed as sequelae in lung tissue in 3-6-month control thorax computerized tomography (CT) scans of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 pneumonia survivors.
Materials and methods: A total of 84 patients (mean age: 67.3 years ±15) with moderate-to-severe pneumonia on chest tomography at the time of diagnosis were included in the study, of which 51 (61%) were males and 33 (39%) were females. Initial and follow-up CT scans averaged 8.3 days ± 2.2 and 112.1 days ± 14.6 after symptom onset, respectively. Participants were recorded in two groups as those with and without fibrotic-like changes such as traction bronchiectasis, fibrotic - parenchymal bands, honeycomb appearance according to 3-6 months follow-up CT scans. Differences between the groups were evaluated with a two-sampled t-test. Logistic regression analyzes were performed to determine independent predictive factors of fibrotic-like sequelae changes.
Result: On follow-up CTs, fibrotic-like changes were observed in 29 (35%) of the 84 participants (Group 1), while the remaining 55 (65%) showed complete radiological recovery (Group 2). With logistic regression analysis, hospital stay of 22 days or longer (OR: 4.9; 95% CI: 20, 32; p< 0.05) and a CT score of 15 or more at diagnosis (OR: 2.2; 95% CI: 13.5, 18; p< 0.05) were found to be an independent predictor for sequelae fibrotic changes in lung tissue.
Conclusions: More than one-third of patients who survived COVID-19 pneumonia had fibrotic-like sequelae changes in the lung parenchyma. These changes were found to be associated with the presence of severe pneumonia at the time of diagnosis and longer hospital stay.