Prevalence of Long-term Respiratory Complications of Severe SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia - COVID-19

Studies performed after coronavirus epidemics (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, MERS-CoV) have shown a long-term impact on respiratory morbidity, musculoskeletal and psycho-social repercussions. Patients with SARS-CoV pneumonia had fibrotic pulmonary sequelae at 45 days (lower DLCO in 27.3% of cases and radiological lesions in 21.5% of cases). In the MERS-CoV pneumonia study, patients had radiological sequelae in 33% of cases and the 12-month evaluation showed persistence of radiological abnormalities in 23.7% of the cases despite an improvement in respiratory function. Clinical presentation and therapeutic management of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection are in part similar to those induced by SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Long-term respiratory complications are therefore expected.