Associations between severe pulmonary function and residual CT abnormalities in rehabilitating COVID-19 patients

C. Yu, X.-Y. Hu, C. Zou, F.-F. Yu, B. Liu, Y. Li, Y. Liu, L.-J. Song, L. Tan, Q. Li, Y.-C. Hu, H.-Y. He, M.-Y. Chen, Z. Zou

Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Naval Hospital of Eastern Theater of PLA, Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China. zouzui1980@163.com

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• Infectious Diseases
• Radiology

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread around the world in 2020. Abnormal pulmonary function and residual CT abnormalities were observed in COVID-19 patients during recovery. Appropriate rehabilitation training is around the corner. The correlation between spirometric impairment and residual CT abnormality remains largely unknown.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted on the pulmonary function of 101 convalescent COVID-19 patients before discharge. Multivariate analysis was used to establish a scoring system to evaluate the spirometric abnormality based on residual chest CT.

RESULTS: Lung consolidation area >25% and severe-type COVID-19 were two independent risk factors for severe pulmonary dysfunction. Besides, a scoring system was established. People scoring more than 12 points have more chances (17 times) to get severe pulmonary function impairment before discharge.

CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, a chest CT characteristics-based grading system was suggested to predict the pulmonary dysfunction of COVID-19 patients during convalescence in this study. This study may provide suggestions for pulmonary rehabilitation.

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