Impulse oscillometry assessment of respiratory function in pediatric patients with a history of COVID‐19

Abstract Objective While coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is generally considered to exhibit a less severe clinical course in children than in adults, studies have demonstrated that respiratory symptoms can endure for more than 3 months following infection in at least one‐third of pediatric cases. The present study evaluates the respiratory functions of children aged 3–15 years within 3–6 months of their recovery from COVID‐19 using impulse oscillometry (IOS) and compares them with the values of healthy children. Methods Included in this prospective cross‐sectional study were 63 patients (patient group) aged 3–15 years who contracted COVID‐19 between December 2021 and May 2022, as well as 57 healthy children as a control group, matched for age and sex. The demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of the patients were recorded, and respiratory function was assessed based on airway resistance (zR5, zR20, R5–20) and reactance (zX5, zX20, reactance area AX, resonant frequency Fres) using an IOS device. Results There were no significant differences in the age, weight, height, and body weight z score values of the two groups ( p > .05). While the zR5 and R5–20 levels of the patient group were higher ( p = .008 and p .05). The parameters indicating the reactance, including zX5 and zX20, were significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group ( p = .028 and p < .001, respectively). Conclusion Total and peripheral airway resistances were found to be elevated in children who had recovered from COVID‐19 in the preceding 3–6 months.