Evaluation of Pulmonary Functions After Discharge in Pediatric Patients with COVID-19: A Prospective Study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the pulmonary function of pediatric patients with COVID-19 after recovery.

Methods: Pediatric patients aged 5-18 years hospitalized with diagnoses of COVID-19 and discharged with recovery were included in this prospective study. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed through spirometry.

Results: The patient group consisted of 34 children and the control group of 33. The forced vital capacity (FVC%) values of the control and patient groups were 110.62±11.71 and 94.21±13.68 (p<0.001), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1%) values were 104.91±6.26 and 98.67±14.93 (p=0.032), FEV1/FVC% values were 108.50±8.81 and 101.06±24.89 (p=0.034), and forced expiratory flow (FEF) 25-75% values were 106.71±6.68 and 101.85±24.89, respectively (p=0.286). However, Spearman correlation analysis revealed moderate negative correlation between length of hospital stay and FEF 25-75% (r=-0.364, p=0.35).

Conclusion: PFTs in pediatric patients after recovery from COVID-19 were abnormal in the present study. The results were significant in terms of the development of mixed-type lung disease. Further long- and short-term studies are now needed for a better understanding of the prognosis in these patients.