P-252 Chest Ct Lung Sequelae Following a Covid-19 Episode in Hospital Staff in Monastir: What Are the Particularities?

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. The purpose of this study is to quantify the pulmonary sequelae after COVID-19 infection in HCWs using chest CT scan. Methods This is a retrospective analytic cohort study that enrolled University Hospital of Monastir HCWs, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection between August 31, 2020, and November 30, 2021, and that underwent a chest CT scan at least 10 days after symptom onset. Chest CT scans were assessed for the presence of residual abnormalities and COVID-19 related pulmonary sequelae. Results Out of 1075 HCWs diagnosed with COVID-19 infection, 56 were included. 91% had mild to moderate symptoms, but 94.6% experienced persistent symptoms upon returning to work. Residual symptoms were dyspnea (67.9%), cough (42.9%) and chest pain (32.1%). 46.4% of CT scans showed abnormalities and COVID-19 related pulmonary sequelae were found in 26.8% of cases. They included linear atelectasis (73.3%), bronchiectasis (26.7%), and one case of septal thickening. Higher seniority levels and dyspnea during CT scanning were found to significantly increase the risk of pulmonary sequelae. Discussion HCWs with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection may have persistent respiratory symptoms and chest CT pulmonary sequelae during early convalescence. dyspnea during CT scanning increases this risk. This finding suggests that persistent dyspnea is not just a symptom of COVID-19 but may serve as an important clinical indicator of ongoing lung damage. Conclusion The recommendation arising from this study indicates the need for continuous monitoring of persistent dyspnea using objective tools.