Are there pulmonary sequelae in patients recovering from COVID-19?
Paola Rogliani, Luigino Calzetta, Angelo Coppola, Ermanno Puxeddu, Gianluigi Sergiacomi, Dejanira D’Amato, Antonio Orlacchio
Abstract
It has been recently hypothesized that infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may lead to fibrotic sequelae in patients recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this observational study, hospitalized patients with COVID-19 had a HRCT of the chest performed to detect the extension of fibrotic abnormalities via Hounsfield Units (HU). At follow-up, the lung density significantly improved in both lungs and in each lobe of all patients, being in the normal range (- 950 to - 700 HU). This study provides preliminary evidence that hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate forms of COVID-19 are not at risk of developing pulmonary fibrosis.