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Updated: Sep 18, 2025
Author Spotlight: Integrating Alveolar-Capillary Reserve Measurements in Exercise Adaptation and Therapeutic Strategies
Published on: February 2, 2024
Pulmonary function, diffusing capacity, and forced oscillometry after recovery from COVID-19 in young, healthy,
Mohini Bryant-Ekstrand1, Peter Luu2, Thomas Gooding2
1Department of Human Physiology, University of Oregon, Eugene, USA.
Objectives:
This study aimed to examine the long-term impact of COVID-19 on pulmonary function (spirometry and forced oscillometry technique, and lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide [DLCO]) in a large group of young, recreationally active adults.
Methods:
A total of 71 participants (aged 21 years) who had recovered from a positive COVID-19 infection (COVID+) and 55 participants (aged 24 years) who had never tested positive for COVID-19 (COVID-) performed routine spirometry and DLCO. Some patients also completed forced oscillometry technique (n = 22 COVID+; n = 18 COVID-).
Results:
The ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC (FEF25-75%) were slightly but significantly lower in patients who were COVID+ than those who were COVID- (FEV1/FVC = 93.6 ± 8.3 vs 96.9 ± 6.7%-predicted, P = 0.019; FEF25-75% = 86.0 ± 21.2 vs 94.5 ± 21.1%-predicted, P = 0.015, respectively). There were no associations between any pulmonary function variables or DLCO and the number of days between COVID-19 infection and testing.
Conclusions:
Our findings provide evidence that pulmonary function and DLCO are largely preserved after recovery from mild COVID-19 in young, healthy, active men and women.
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