COVID-19-Associated Lung Fibrosis: Two Pathways and Two Phenotypes, Lung Transplantation, and Antifibrotics

Abstract

COVID-19 can be associated with lung fibrosis. Although lung fibrosis after COVID-19 is a relatively rare finding, the mere fact that globally a very large number of patients have had COVID-19 leads to a significant burden of disease. However, patients with COVID-19-associated lung fibrosis have different clinical and radiological features. The aim of this review is to define the different phenotypes of COVID-19-associated lung fibrosis, based on the medical literature. We found that two phenotypes have emerged. One phenotype is COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS); the other phenotype is post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis (PCPF). Both phenotypes have different risk factors, clinical, and radiological features, and differ in their pathophysiological mechanisms and prognoses. A long-term follow-up of patients with pulmonary complications after COVID-19 is warranted, even in patients with only discrete fibrosis. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment because currently the literature is scarce, and evidence is only based on small case series or case reports.