AUTHOR=Ritter Ophélie , Noureddine Sofia , Laurent Lucie , Roux Pauline , Westeel Virginie , Barnig Cindy 

TITLE=Unraveling persistent dyspnea after mild COVID: insights from a case series on hyperventilation provocation tests

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1394642

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2024.1394642

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>Dyspnea is a common yet poorly understood symptom of long COVID, affecting many patients. This brief report examines the role of dysfunctional breathing in persistent dyspnea among patients with mild post-COVID-19 using hyperventilation provocation tests (HVPT). In this case series, six patients with unexplained dyspnea and normal cardiopulmonary function underwent HVPT. Despite normal exercise testing results, all patients exhibited delayed PETCO<sub>2</sub> recovery, indicative of a hyperventilation pattern consistent with chronic hyperventilation syndrome, without typical symptomatic manifestations. These findings suggest underlying post-COVID respiratory dysregulation, emphasizing the importance of targeted diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for persistent respiratory symptoms in long COVID patients.</p>