Beyond the Acute Phase: Persistent Pulmonary Findings After COVID-19 in Hungary.

Objective The objective of this one-year study, conducted at Kenézy Gyula Hospital in Hungary and involving a cohort of 50 hospitalized patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, was to assess the long-term impact of the disease on lung morphology. Using follow-up chest CT imaging performed three months post-infection, the study aimed to identify persistent abnormalities such as ground-glass opacities (GGOs), fibrotic-like changes, and other post-inflammatory sequelae. By correlating radiological findings with clinical and laboratory data, the study sought to provide insights into the extent and nature of pulmonary recovery, highlight patterns of incomplete resolution, and contribute to the understanding of potential chronic respiratory consequences of COVID-19. Methods This study included 50 randomly chosen subjects. Those who suffered from COVID-19 and reported to the Emergency Department of the University of Debrecen, Clinical Center Kenézy Gyula Campus in Hungary were eligible for participation. An initial CT chest with contrast was performed on admission, and a control CT chest with contrast was performed three months following admission. The grading of affected lung parenchyma was subjective (based on the views of experienced radiologists at the department) and not AI-based or computer-guided. For comparison, the percentage of affected lung parenchyma was estimated on both the initial and control CTs. To gain a comprehensive understanding of COVID-19 infections, the subjects' age, sex, medical history, symptoms on admission, and therapy received were also recorded. Results This study, based on a small sample size of 50 patients aged predominantly between 60 and 75 years, provides insights into the clinical presentation, laboratory findings, imaging features, and treatment approaches for COVID-19. The most common presenting symptoms were fever, cough, and dyspnea, with hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease being the most frequent comorbidities, factors known to influence disease severity. The most frequent findings on laboratory investigation were lymphopenia, elevated CRP, and D-dimer. This study showed GGOs with or without consolidations to be the hallmark of COVID-19 infection on CT. Regarding therapeutic methods, 74% of subjects received antibiotics (to prevent secondary bacterial infection), 44% received remdesivir, while several others received low-molecular-weight heparin to reduce the likelihood of coagulation. Supportive therapy included theophylline (bronchodilator), acetylcysteine (mucolytic), algopyrin (painkiller), and vitamin C. A great number of patients showed 30-40 (%) affected lung parenchyma on initial CT, while the control CTs depicted 5 (%) affected parenchyma. Conclusion Based on the results of this study, although remarkable recovery from the infection was evident, long-term effects of COVID-19 infection are apparent, with over 40% of patients exhibiting signs of distorted lung architecture. The indicators of fibrosis observed included persistent GGOs, parenchymal bands, septal thickening, and traction bronchiectasis.