Lung function and exercise capacity 6 months after hospital discharge for critical COVID-19

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Table 3 Lung function and laboratory findings 6 months after initial SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients treated in intensive care units

	6 months
	Median (IQR)	Decreased value, N (%)
Spirometry	n = 65
FVC Z-score	− 1.1 (− 1.9 to − 0.6)	23 (35)^a
FEV1 Z-score	− 0.8 (− 1.6 to − 0.2)	15 (23)^b
FEV1/FVC Z-score	0.9 (− 0.0 to 1.5)	4 (6)^c
Diagnostic bronchodilator response*		1 (2)
MEF50/MMEF bronchodilator response**		12 (18)
Diffusing capacity	n = 62
FRC % predicted	65 (58–74)	52 (80)^d
RV % predicted	68 (58–79)	48 (74)^e
TLC % predicted	85 (76–92)	22 (34)^f
DLCOc % predicted	79 (70–89)	32 (49)^g
DLCOc/VA % predicted	93 (83–105)	12 (18)^h
Laboratory test results
Creatinine	70 (60–81)ⁱ
C-reactive protein	< 4 (< 4– < 4)^j,α

All values are expressed as median (IQR) or N (%) unless otherwise stated. Spirometry values presented are prebronchodilator measurements
IQR, interquartile range; FVC, forced vital capacity; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FEV1/FVC, forced expiratory ratio; MEF50, maximal flow at 50% of FVC; MMEF, maximal mid-expiratory flow; FRC, functional residual capacity; RV, residual volume; TLC, total lung capacity; DLCOc, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide corrected for haemoglobin; DLCOc/VA, DLCOc adjusted for alveolar volume
^aDecreased FVC (Z < − 1.65)
^bDecreased FEV1 (Z < − 1.65)
^cFEV1/FVC < 0.7
^dDecreased FRC (< 80% pred)
^eDecreased RV (< 80% pred)
^fDecreased TLC (< 80% pred)
^gDecreased DLCOc (< 80% pred)
^hDecreased DLCOc/VA (< 80% pred)
^αValue < 4 is defined as immeasurable low
*Increase of ≥ 12% and ≥ 200 mL in FEV1 or FVC
**Increase of ≥ 36% and 0.5 L/s in MEF50 or ≥ 33% and 0.4 L/s in MMEF
Data available for, ⁱ70, ^j69 cases

ISSN: 1471-2466