Study of Lung Function in COVID-19 Pneumonia Recovered Individuals

BACKGROUND Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Pulmonary system is the most commonly affected organ system by COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 results in disruption of ACE/ACE2 balance leading to RAAS activation. The present study was carried out to determine the lung function in the recovery phase of COVID -19 by spirometry in India. METHODS A prospective (Follow up) observational study was done on 100 patients from March 2021 to November 2021. COVID-19 patients with RT-PCR positive results aged between 25 to 60 years were enrolled in the study. All the subjects were health care workers working in King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam. They were followed for a period of 3 months. RESULTS The mean age was 48.35 ± 11.07 years. 71 % were males. The mean height was 162.85 ± 7.47 cm while the mean weight was 36.71 ± 1.12 kg. During enrolment, the mean forced vital capacity (FVC) was 2.22 ± 0.68 L, forced expiratory volume (FEV1) was 1.97 ± 0.63 L and FEV1/FVC% was 89.35 ± 13.27 %. There was no statistically significant difference in FVC between enrolment and various periods of follow up at 1 and 3 months. There was a statistically significant difference between FEV1 and FEV1/FVC% between enrolment and various periods of follow up at 1 and 3 months. CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 infection has an impact on the lung functions. PFT done 3 months later after clinical cure/discharge showed an improvement in FEV1 and FEV1/FVC% in the present study. Long-term follow-up of the lung function in post-COVID-19 survivors is recommended.