[Morphological aspects of diaphragm dysfunction in COVID-19-associated pneumonia].

Objective: To assess morphological changes in the diaphragm and phrenic nerve in patients who died from COVID-19.

Material And Methods: In a case-control study, an analysis was made of autopsy material of the diaphragm and phrenic nerve of those who died from COVID-19 infection complicated by SARS-CoV-2-associated pneumonia, confirmed in vivo by the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (Group 1, =12), and those who died with a diagnosis of acute cerebrovascular accident of the ischemic type without parenchymal respiratory failure (Group 2, =3).

Results: The main histopathological features in the diaphragm of the 1st group were the edema of the pericellular spaces of muscle fibers, edema of perivascular spaces, diapedese hemorrhages, plethora in arteriolas, in most veins and capillaries, red blood clots were revealed; in the diaphragmatic nerve - swelling of the perineral space, severe edema around the nerve fibers inside the nerve trunk.