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Evaluation of Pulmonary Functional Complications After COVID-19 Infection in Children: A Retrospective and
Aleksandra Bareła1, Agnieszka Blomberg1,2, Aleksandra Filipczak1,2
1Department of Pediatrics, Immunology and Nephrology, Institute of the Polish Mother's Health Center in Lodz, 93-338 Lodz, Poland.
Insights
Pediatric COVID-19 survivors show persistent lung function abnormalities, primarily reduced vital capacity. These changes occurred regardless of initial disease severity or time since infection, highlighting the need for further research.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- COVID-19 significantly impacts global health, with the respiratory system being a primary target.
- While adult post-COVID pulmonary sequelae are documented, pediatric data remain limited and inconsistent.
- Understanding long-term respiratory effects in children is crucial due to typically milder disease courses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess spirometric abnormalities in a cohort of children and adolescents after COVID-19 infection.
- To investigate the relationship between spirometric findings, COVID-19 severity, and time since infection in pediatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective and prospective observational study of 109 pediatric patients (aged 6-18) with confirmed COVID-19.
- Spirometry performed post-recovery to analyze pulmonary function parameters.
- Analysis correlated findings with clinical course and time elapsed since infection.
Main Results:
- Pulmonary function abnormalities were detected in 23.85% of pediatric participants.
- Reduced Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) was the most common spirometric abnormality.
- No significant association found between COVID-19 severity and spirometric impairments (p > 0.5).
Conclusions:
- A notable proportion of pediatric COVID-19 patients exhibit spirometric abnormalities, mainly reduced FVC.
- No clear clinical predictors or associations with time since infection were identified.
- Limitations include the lack of pre-infection data and a control group, necessitating longitudinal studies.
Abstract:
Background: More than 750 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide. The respiratory system, particularly the lungs, is one of the main targets of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although persistent pulmonary function abnormalities have been described in adults, evidence in pediatric populations remains limited and inconsistent. Children usually experience a milder course of COVID-19; however, the long-term impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on respiratory function in this group is still unclear. Current studies report conflicting findings regarding persistent spirometric abnormalities and their relationship with disease severity and time since infection. Therefore, further research is needed to better characterize post-infectious respiratory sequelae in children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate spirometric abnormalities in a pediatric cohort following COVID-19 infection. Methods: This retrospective and prospective observational study included 109 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years with a history of asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic, or symptomatic COVID-19 infection. Spirometry was performed following recovery from infection, and pulmonary function parameters were analyzed according to clinical course and time since infection. Results: Spirometry was conducted at a mean of 4.3 ± 2.8 months after infection. Abnormalities in pulmonary function were identified in 23.85% of the study population, with reduced FVC being the predominant spirometric abnormality. No statistically significant association was observed between the severity of COVID-19 and spirometric impairments (p > 0.5). Abnormal spirometry findings were observed across all post-infection time intervals examined; however, no statistically significant differences were identified between the groups. Conclusions: Spirometric abnormalities, predominantly reduced FVC, were observed in a substantial proportion of pediatric patients following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although no clinical predictors were identified, the absence of pre-infection measurements and a control group limits interpretation. Longitudinal studies are required to clarify the clinical relevance and persistence of these pulmonary function changes.
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