Lung Function Trajectories in Mild COVID-19 With 2-year Follow-up

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Long-term pulmonary complications of mild COVID-19 are not well understood.
• Assessing lung function trajectories post-mild infection is crucial for understanding long-term health impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize lung function changes in individuals with mild COVID-19.
• To track lung function from pre-infection up to 2 years post-infection.

Main Methods:

• A matched cohort study involving participants from the Copenhagen General Population.
• Lung function tests and questionnaires were administered at 5.4 months and 2 years post-infection.
• Linear mixed models analyzed lung volume dynamics comparing COVID-19 patients to uninfected controls.

Main Results:

• Individuals with mild COVID-19 showed an excess decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) compared to controls up to 6 months post-infection.
• This decline in FEV1 and FVC continued, though not statistically significant, between 6 and 24 months post-infection.
• No significant changes were noted in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) between 6 and 24 months.

Conclusions:

• Mild COVID-19 infection leads to measurable effects on lung function.
• Lung function deficits persist at least two years after mild COVID-19, indicating limited recovery.