PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Genzor, Samuel AU - Jakubec, Petr AU - Sova, Milan AU - Mizera, Jan AU - Joppa, Pavol AU - Burget, Radim AU - Pobeha, Pavol TI - Clinical presentation and pulmonary function tests in post-acute COVID-19 patients DP - 2023 Jun 12 TA - Biomedical papers PG - 185--191 VI - 167 IP - 2 AID - 10.5507/bp.2022.039 IS - 12138118 AB - Aims. The study analysed post-acute COVID-19 symptoms and the pulmonary function test (PFT) results in patients surviving the native strain of the virus. Methods. The study was prospective; the inclusion criteria were positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 and age 18-100. Exclusion criteria were active respiratory infection, known or suspicious pre-existing pulmonary disease, cardiac failure, recent or acute pulmonary embolism, anaemia, and neuromuscular diseases. The recruitment period was 1<sup>st</sup> March 2020 - 25<sup>th</sup> December 2020. The initial examination was performed 4-12 weeks after the disease onset. All subjects underwent physical examination, anamnesis, chest x-ray and PFT. Results. The study involved 785 subjects (345 male) mean age 53.8 (SD 14.6). The disease severity groups were: mild (G1), moderate (G2) and severe/critical (G3). Anosmia was present in the acute disease phase in 45.2% of G1 patients, but only in 4.5% of G3 patients. Dyspnoea occurred frequently in more severe groups (40%, 51.8% and 63.7% for G1, G2 and G3 respectively), while cough and fatigue showed no relationship to disease severity. Females were more likely to experience persistent symptoms. PFT results were significantly decreased in more severe groups compared to the mild COVID-19 patients, diffusing capacity was 86.3%, 79% and 68% of predicted values in G1, G2 and G3 respectively. Conclusion. Anosmia during the acute phase was associated with mild disease, persisting dyspnoea was more frequent after more severe COVID-19. Females tended to have persisting symptoms in post-acute phase more frequently. PFT results showed decrease with disease severity.