Prospective cohort study evaluates lung function trends in COVID-19 survivors with residual lung abnormalities, suggesting changes in pulmonary perfusion without improvement in RBC:M.
Key Points
The study aims to evaluate lung function trends over time in patients with residual lung abnormalities following COVID-19 pneumonia.
Prospective multicenter cohort study involving 24 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 with identified residual lung abnormalities.
Participants underwent MRI at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years post-discharge, assessing various pulmonary metrics.
Statistical analyses included mixed-effect linear regression for changes over time and Spearman's correlation for metric associations.
Pulmonary blood flow improved significantly over time: 6 months (75.4), 1 year (83.2), 2 years (107.3).
Mean transit time (MTT) also improved: 6 months (15.3), 1 year (15.6), 2 years (15.0).
No significant changes in RBC:M z-score or ventilation defect percentage (VDP) over time, indicating unchanged membrane function.