Lung function at three months after hospitalization due to COVID‑19 pneumonia: Comparison of alpha, delta and omicron variant predominance periods

Georgakopoulou,Vasiliki Epameinondas; Makrodimitri,Sotiria; Gkoufa,Aikaterini; Apostolidi,Eirini; Provatas,Sotirios; Papalexis,Petros; Spandidos,Demetrios A.; Lempesis,Ioannis G.; Gamaletsou,Maria N.; Sipsas,Nikolaos V.

doi:10.3892/etm.2024.12372

Lung function at three months after hospitalization due to COVID‑19 pneumonia: Comparison of alpha, delta and omicron variant predominance periods

Authors:
- Vasiliki Epameinondas Georgakopoulou
- Sotiria Makrodimitri
- Aikaterini Gkoufa
- Eirini Apostolidi
- Sotirios Provatas
- Petros Papalexis
- Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Ioannis G. Lempesis
- Maria N. Gamaletsou
- Nikolaos V. Sipsas
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Affiliations: Department of Infectious Diseases and COVID‑19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece, Department of Pathophysiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece, ENT Department, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece, Unit of Endocrinology, First Department of Propedeutic and Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece, Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
Published online on: January 5, 2024 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2024.12372
Article Number: 83
Copyright: © Georgakopoulou et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) pandemic has already affected millions of individuals, with increasing numbers of survivors. These data suggest that the pulmonary sequelae of the infection may have an effect on a wide range of individuals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pulmonary function in patients hospitalized due to COVID‑19 three months after hospital discharge. A total of 116 patients, 34 females and 82 males, with a mean age of 57.77±11.45 years, who were hospitalized due to COVID‑19, underwent pulmonary function testing three months after their hospital discharge. Of these, 83 (71.6%) patients were hospitalized in the period of alpha variant predominance, 16 (13.8%) in the period of delta variant predominance and 17 (14.6%) in the omicron variant predominance period. The mean value of diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO)% predicted (pred) was statistically higher in patients affected by the omicron variant (P=0.028). Abnormal values (<80% pred) of DLCO and total lung capacity (TLC) were observed in 28.4 and 20.7% of the patients, respectively. Active smoking was an independent predictor of abnormal values of forced expiratory volume in 1 sec % pred and TLC% pred [P=0.038; odds ratio (OR): 8.574, confidence interval (CI) 1.124‑65.424 and P=0.004, OR: 14.733, CI 2.323‑93.429, respectively], age was an independent predictor of abnormal values of forced vital capacity % pred and DLCO% pred (P=0.027, OR: 1.124, CI 1.014‑1.246 and P=0.011, OR:1.054, CI 1.012‑1.098, respectively); and female sex was an independent predictor of abnormal values of DLCO% pred (P=0.009, OR: 1.124, CI 1.014‑1.246). Α significant percentage of hospitalized patients due to COVID‑19 pneumonia will develop abnormal pulmonary function, regardless of the SARS‑CoV‑2 variant.

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