Medium-term pulmonary outcomes (<6 months) after pediatric COVID-19 infection evaluated using impulse oscillometry...

Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) usually exhibits a mild clinical course in children, concerns remain regarding persistent airway dysfunction after recovery. This study aimed to evaluate pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in children following mild COVID-19 infection and to compare the findings with those of healthy controls.

In this prospective cross-sectional study, children aged 6-18 years with polymerase chain reaction-confirmed COVID-19 infection were identified retrospectively from February 2022 and evaluated prospectively between June and December 2022. Fifty-eight post-COVID-19 patients and 56 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included, and their demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. PFTs were assessed using impulse oscillometry (IOS) followed by spirometry.

There were no significant differences in demographic and anthropometric measurements between the post-COVID-19 group and the healthy controls. In terms of IOS measurements, zR5 and R5-20 (reflecting airway resistance) were higher and zX5 and zX20 (reflecting airway reactance) were lower in the post-COVID-19 group (p = .006, p = .002, p < .001, and p = .001, respectively). No significant differences were observed in spirometric parameters, including zFEV1, zFVC, zFEV1/FVC, and zFEF25-75. Notably, three patients exhibited persistent cough and dyspnea after COVID-19, had FEV1 values <90% predicted, positive bronchodilator reversibility, and inhalant allergen sensitization despite having no prior history of asthma or allergic rhinitis.

Children recovering from mild COVID-19 infection may exhibit persistent airway dysfunction detectable by IOS despite normal spirometric findings. IOS appears to be a sensitive tool for identifying subclinical airway involvement in children following COVID-19.