Pulmonary function and functional capacity in COVID-19 survivors with persistent dyspnoea.
2021
The purpose of this study was to examine the physiological mechanisms of persistent dyspnoea in COVID-19 survivors. Non-critical patients (nâ¯=â¯186) with varying degrees of COVID-19 severity reported persistent symptoms using a standardized questionnaire and underwent pulmonary function and 6-minute walk testing between 30 and 90 days following the onset of acute COVID-19 symptoms. Patients were divided into those with (nâ¯=â¯70) and without (nâ¯=â¯116) persistent dyspnoea. Patients with persistent dyspnoea had significantly lower FVC (pâ¯=â¯0.03), FEV1 (pâ¯=â¯0.04), DLCO (pâ¯=â¯0.01), 6-minute walk distance (% predicted, pâ¯=â¯0.03), and end-exercise oxygen saturation (pâ¯<â¯0.001), and higher Borg 0-10 ratings of dyspnoea and fatigue (both pâ¯<â¯0.001) compared to patients without persistent dyspnoea. We have shown that dyspnoea is a common persistent symptom across varying degrees of initial COVID-19 severity. Patients with persistent dyspnoea had greater restriction on spirometry, lower DLCO, reduced functional capacity, and increased exertional desaturation and symptoms. This suggests that there is a true physiological mechanism that may explain persistent dyspnoea after COVID-19.
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