[Changes in pulmonary function in SARS patients during the three-year convalescent period]

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Respiratory Physiology

Context:

• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a significant respiratory illness with potential long-term health consequences.
• Understanding the convalescent period of SARS patients is crucial for managing post-viral respiratory sequelae.

Purpose:

• To investigate pulmonary function patterns in SARS patients over a three-year recovery period.
• To assess medium and long-term effects of SARS on lung function.

Summary:

• Pulmonary function tests were performed on 37 SARS patients at one month, three months, one year, and three years post-discharge, compared to 15 healthy controls.
• SARS patients exhibited decreased forced vital capacity (FVC), vital capacity (VC), one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1), and 25%-75% forced expiratory flow (25%-75%FEF) compared to controls (P<0.05).
• While diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) improved significantly over time, 20-30% of patients retained mild/moderate restrictive ventilation or small airway impairment.

Impact:

• Lung diffusion function generally recovers within three years for most SARS survivors.
• A minority of SARS patients may experience persistent, mild to moderate, restrictive lung function abnormalities and small airway impairment.
• Findings highlight the importance of long-term pulmonary monitoring for SARS survivors to detect and manage chronic respiratory issues.