Lung function before and after COVID-19 in young adults: A population-based study
Ida Mogensen, Jenny Hallberg, Sophia Björkander, Likun Du, Fanglei Zuo, Lennart Hammarström, Qiang Pan‐Hammarström, Sandra Ekström, Antonios Georgelis, Lena Palmberg, Christer Janson, Anna Bergström, Erik Melén, Inger Kull, Catarina Almqvist, Niklas Andersson, Natalia Ballardini, Anna Bergström, Sophia Björkander, Petter Brodin, Anna Castel, Sandra Ekström, Antonios Georgelis, Jenny Hallberg, Lennart Hammarström, Qiang Pan‐Hammarström, Christer Janson, Maura Kere, Inger Kull, André Lauber, Alexandra Lövquist, Erik Melén, Jenny Mjösberg, Ida Mogensen, Lena Palmberg, Göran Pershagen, Niclas Roxhed, Jochen M. Schwenk
Abstract
Background There is limited evidence on the long-term impact of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on lung function among young adults. Objectives We aimed to assess whether COVID-19 has a negative impact on lung function in young adults and whether asthma, allergic sensitization, or use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) modifies a potential association. Methods Participants from the population-based BAMSE (Barn, Allergi, Miljö, Stockholm, Epidemiologi) cohort with spirometry assessed before (2016-2019) and after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) were included. Serum levels of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor-binding domain-specific IgG, IgM, and/or IgA (determined with ELISA) defined seropositivity. Mean change in lung function (ie, change in FEV 1 , forced vital capacity [FVC], and FEV 1 /FVC ratio expressed as percent of predicted [pp]) from before to after onset of the pandemic were compared between the seronegative and seropositive participants. In seropositive participants, change in lung function was assessed in relation to allergic sensitization and self-reported ICS use. Results Of the 853 included participants, 29% (n = 243) were seropositive. There were no differences in change in lung function between the seronegative and seropositive participants (for mean change in FEV 1 pp [SD], seropositivity = 0.87% [4.79%] and seronegativity = 1.03% (4.76%) [ P = . 66] for difference using a t test; FVC pp (SD), seropositivity = 1.34% (4.44%) and seronegativity = 1.29% (4.27%) [ P = . 87]; and for FEV 1 /FVC pp (SD), seropositivity = –0.25% (3.13%) and seronegativity = –0.13% (3.15%) [ P = . 61]). Similar results were observed among participants with asthma (n = 147 [17%]). Among seropositive participants, allergic sensitization or ICS use did not influence lung function. Conclusion We found no evidence of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 affecting lung function long term in a population-based cohort of young adults. Moreover, neither asthma nor allergic sensitization nor ICS use affected the results.