Reversible Bronchiectasis in COVID-19 Survivors With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Pseudobronchiectasis.

Abstract

To retrospectively analyze whether traction bronchiectasis was reversible in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and whether computed tomography (CT) findings were associated with the reversibility, 41 COVID-19 survivors with ARDS were followed-up for more than 4 months. Demographics, clinical data, and all chest CT images were collected. The follow-up CT images were compared with the previous CT scans. There were 28 (68%) patients with traction bronchiectasis (Group I) and 13 (32%) patients without traction bronchiectasis (Group II) on CT images. Traction bronchiectasis disappeared completely in 21 of the 28 (75%) patients (Group IA), but did not completely disappear in seven of the 28 (25%) patients (Group IB). In the second week after onset, the evaluation score on CT images in Group I was significantly higher than that in Group II (p = 0.001). The proportion of reticulation on the last CT images in Group IB was found higher than that in Group IA (p < 0.05). COVID-19 survivors with ARDS might develop traction bronchiectasis, which can be absorbed completely in most patients. Traction bronchiectasis in a few patients did not disappear completely, but bronchiectasis was significantly relieved. The long-term follow-up is necessary to further assess whether traction bronchiectasis represents irreversible fibrosis.

• Authors: Qiongjie Hu, Yiwen Liu, Chong Chen, Ziyan Sun, Yujin Wang, Min Xiang, Hanxiong Guan, Liming Xia
• Journal: Frontiers in medicine (Front Med (Lausanne)) Vol. 8 Pg. 739857 ( 2021) ISSN: 2296-858X [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 34917630 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Hu, Liu, Chen, Sun, Wang, Xiang, Guan and Xia.