AUTHOR=Liao Xuejiao , Li Dapeng , Liu Zhi , Ma Zhenghua , Zhang Lina , Dong Jingke , Shi Yirong , Gu Xiaowen , Zheng Guangping , Huang Ling , Yuan Lijun , Cao Jing , Shu Dan , Yang Xiangyi , He Qing , Li Guobao , Zhang Zheng , Liu Lei 

TITLE=Pulmonary Sequelae in Patients After Recovery From Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Follow-Up Study With Chest CT

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.686878

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2021.686878

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> The pulmonary sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have not been comprehensively evaluated. We performed a follow-up study analyzing chest computed tomography (CT) findings of COVID-19 patients at 3 and 6 months after hospital discharge.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Between February 2020 and May 2020, a total of 273 patients with COVID-19 at the Shenzhen Third People's Hospital were recruited and followed for 6 months after discharge. Chest CT scanning was performed with the patient in the supine position at end-inspiration. A total of 957 chest CT scans was obtained at different timepoints. A semi-quantitative score was used to assess the degree of lung involvement.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Most chest CT scans showed bilateral lung involvement with peripheral location at 3 and 6 months follow-up. The most common CT findings were ground-glass opacity and parenchymal band, which were found in 136 (55.3%) and 94 (38.2%) of the 246 patients at 3 months follow-up, and 82 (48.2%) and 76 (44.7%) of 170 patients at 6 months follow-up, respectively. The number of lobes involved and the total CT severity score declined over time. The total CT score gradually increased with the increasement of disease severity at both 3 months follow-up (trend test <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001) and 6 months follow-up (trend test <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001). Patients with different disease severity represented diverse CT patterns over time.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> The most common CT findings were ground-glass opacity and parenchymal bands at the 3 and 6 months follow-up. Patients with different disease severity represent diverse CT manifestations, indicating the necessary for long-term follow-up monitoring of patients with severe and critical conditions.</p>