Organizing pneumonia following Covid19 pneumonia

Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2021 Sep;133(17-18):979-982. doi: 10.1007/s00508-021-01852-9. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Abstract

The potential mid-term and long-term consequences after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections are as yet unknown. This is the first report of bronchoscopically verified organizing pneumonia as a complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid19). It caused persisting dyspnea, impaired pulmonary function, and radiological abnormalities over 5 weeks after onset of symptoms. While organizing pneumonia frequently requires treatment with systemic corticosteroids, in this case it resolved spontaneously without treatment after 6 weeks. Healthcare professionals should consider organizing pneumonia in patients with persisting respiratory symptoms after Covid19.

Keywords: Fibrosis; Inflammatory lung disease; Interstitial lung disease; Long Covid; Pulmonary infection.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Lung
  • Pneumonia* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia* / drug therapy
  • SARS-CoV-2