Abstract
Background: Pulmonary function in adults after COVID-19 can show long-term impairment: 10% of hospitalised adults had reduced spirometry values, and 24% had decreased diffusion capacity. Only preliminary evidence is available on persistent respiratory sequelae in children and adolescents, therefore our objective was to examine the long-term effects of COVID-19 on pulmonary function in this age group.
Methods: Multiple-breath washout, body plethysmography, and diffusion capacity testing were performed after an average of 2.6 months (range 0.4–6.0) following COVID-19 in 73 children and adolescents (age 5–18 years) with different disease severity. Cases were compared to 45 controls with and without infection within six months prior to assessment after exclusion of severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 infection (SARS-CoV-2).
Results: Of the 19 patients (27.1%) who complained about persistent or newly emerged symptoms since COVID-19, 8 (11.4%) reported respiratory symptoms. Comparing patients with COVID-19 to controls, no significant differences were detected in frequency of abnormal pulmonary function (COVID-19: 12, 16.4%; controls: 12, 27.7%; OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.22–1.34). Only two patients with persistent respiratory symptoms showed abnormal pulmonary function. Multivariate analysis revealed reduced forced vital capacity (p=0.045) in patients with severe infection regardless of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Discussion: Pulmonary function is rarely impaired in children and adolescents after COVID-19, except of those with severe infection. The discrepancy between persistent respiratory symptoms and normal pulmonary function suggests a different underlying pathology such as dysfunctional breathing.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, OA1303.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021