Lung function after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A prospective cohort study in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Infectious Diseases
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Impaired lung function is documented in adults post-SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• Long-term effects on pediatric lung function, especially in mild or asymptomatic cases, remain under-investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess lung function in a large pediatric cohort after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• To determine if respiratory symptoms during infection impact long-term lung health in children.

Main Methods:

• Enrolled 589 pediatric patients (0-18 years) with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• Conducted spirometry testing on cooperating patients, evaluating both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.
• Analyzed lung function parameters, including forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1).

Main Results:

• Spirometry was evaluable in 433 children, with a mean age of 9.6 years.
• No patients exhibited reduced FVC; only 3.2% had FEV1 < 80% of predicted values.
• Mean spirometry values were within the normal range, with no significant differences based on initial symptoms or time since infection.

Conclusions:

• Lung function, assessed by spirometry, is not significantly impaired in children long after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• Respiratory symptoms during COVID-19 infection do not appear to be a risk factor for diminished lung function in this pediatric cohort.