Long term impact on lung function of patients with moderate and severe COVID-19. A prospective cohort study

Introduction A significant number of patients continue to recover from COVID-19; however, little is known about the lung function capacity among survivors. We aim to determine the long-term impact on lung function capacity in patients who have survived moderate or severe COVID-19 disease in a resource-poor setting. Methods and analysis This prospective cohort study will include patients aged 15 years and above and have reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive for COVID 19 (nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal). Patients with a pre-existing diagnosis of obstructive or interstitial lung disease, lung fibrosis and cancers, connective tissue disorders, autoimmune conditions affecting the lungs, underlying heart disease, history of syncope and refuse to participate will be excluded. Pulmonary function will be assessed using spirometry and diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) at three- and six-months interval. A chest X-ray at three and six-month follow-up and CT-chest will be performed if clinically indicated after consultation with the study pulmonologist or Infectious Disease (ID) physician. Echocardiogram (ECHO) to look for pulmonary hypertension at the three months visit and repeated at six months if any abnormality is identified initially. Data analysis will be performed using standard statistical software. Ethics and dissemination The proposal was reviewed and approved by ethics review committee (ERC) of the institution (ERC reference number 2020-4735-11311). Informed consent will be obtained from each study participant. The results will be disseminated among study participants, institutional, provincial and national level through seminars and presentations. Moreover, the scientific findings will be published in high-impact peer-reviewed medical journals. Strengths and Limitations of this study - The study has the potential to develop context-specific evidence on the long-term impact on lung function among COVID-19 survivors - Findings: will play key role in understanding the impact of the disease on vital functions and help devise rehabilitative strategies to best overcome the effects of disease - This is a single-center, study recruiting only a limited number of COVID-19 survivors - The study participants may loss-to-follow up due to uncertain conditions and disease reemergence