| Autor: |
Crisafulli E; Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy.; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy., Gabbiani D; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy., Magnani G; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy., Dorelli G; School of Medicine in Sports and Exercise, University of Verona, 37129 Verona, Italy., Busti F; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy., Sartori G; Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy.; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy., Senna G; Department of Medicine, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Section, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy., Girelli D; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy. |
| Abstrakt: |
Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 show persistent symptoms and lung function alterations with a restrictive ventilatory pattern. Few data are available evaluating an extended period of COVID-19 clinical progression. The RESPICOVID study has been designed to evaluate patients' pulmonary damage previously hospitalised for interstitial pneumonia due to COVID-19. We focused on the arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis variables due to the initial observation that some patients had hypocapnia (arterial partial carbon dioxide pressure-PaCO 2 ≤ 35 mmHg). Therefore, we aimed to characterise patients with hypocapnia compared to patients with normocapnia (PaCO 2 > 35 mmHg). Data concerning demographic and anthropometric variables, clinical symptoms, hospitalisation, lung function and gas-analysis were collected. Our study comprised 81 patients, of whom 19 (24%) had hypocapnia as compared to the remaining ( n = 62, 76%), and defined by lower levels of PaCO 2 , serum bicarbonate (HCO 3- ), carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (DL CO ), and carbon monoxide transfer coefficient (K CO ) with an increased level of pH and arterial partial oxygen pressure (PaO 2 ). K CO was directly correlated with PaCO 2 and inversely with pH. In our preliminary report, hypocapnia is associated with a residual lung function impairment in diffusing capacity. We focus on ABG analysis's informativeness in the follow-up of post-COVID patients. |
