Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in post-COVID-19 patients

Abstract Patients with prior COVID-19 infection can have residual symptoms and significant disability. In particular, some patients have abnormal lung function with reduced volumes and diffusion capacities. However, some patients have relatively normal lung function and chest x-rays but have significant dyspnea. These patients have been evaluated using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to determine their peak O2 consumption and their cardiac and respiratory responses during standardized testing. In general, these studies demonstrate that the level of impairment correlates with the severity of the initial infection. In addition, some patients have little or no improvement in their VO2 over time. This test can provide some insight as to exact system limitations resulting in impairment. Six-minute walk tests provide alternative approaches for evaluating patients when CPET testing is not available. Most patients who have had prior COVID infection improve with standard pulmonary rehabilitation. Keywords: COVID-19 infection, dyspnea, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, rehabilitation