Altered lung physiology in two cohorts after COVID-19 infection as assessed by computed cardiopulmonography
Magor-Elliott SRM., Alamoudi A., Chamley RR., Xu H., Wellalagodage T., McDonald RP., O’Brien D., Collins J., Coombs B., Winchester J., Sellon E., Xie C., Sandhu D., Fullerton CJ., Couper JH., Smith NMJ., Richmond G., Cassar MP., Raman B., Talbot NP., Bennett AN., Nicol ED., Ritchie GAD., Petousi N., Holdsworth DA., Robbins PA.
This study used a novel technique, computed cardiopulmonography, to study the lungs of patients who have had COVID-19. Depending on severity of infection, there were increases in anatomical dead space, reductions in absolute lung volumes, and increases in ventilation inhomogeneity broadly equivalent to those associated with 15 yr of aging. However, without measurements taken before infection, it is unclear whether the changes result from COVID-19 infection or are risk factors for more severe disease.