Factors related to persistent pulmonary structural and functional abnormalities post-COVID-19 are yet to be understood. Objectives: To investigate whether there is a correlation between patients? baseline data on hospital admission under severe COVID-19, and either the persistence of findings in chest tomography (CT) or impairment of functional capacity after hospital discharge. Methods: Clinical, prospective, single-center cohort study carried out at a university hospital (Brazil) between May 1st and October 31st, 2020, approved by the institution's ethics committee. Patients over 18 y/o admitted with pneumonia due to COVID-19 were included. After 3-6 months of medical discharge, patients were clinically evaluated and performed a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and CT. Statistical analysis used association and correlation tests. Results: The study was conducted with 134 patients. 22% were admitted with severe hypoxemia. On clinical follow-up, 92 CTs were carried out, and 31% had no abnormalities, regardless of the severity of the CT admission. The mean distance walked in the 90 6MWT conducted was 447m. Patients with desaturation at hospital admission had an increased risk of remaining with CT abnormalities: patients with SpO2 between 88-92% had a 4.0-fold risk and those with SpO2<88% had a 6.2-fold risk. The group with SpO2<88% also walked shorter distances than patients with SpO2 between 88-92% (p=0.028). Conclusions: Hypoxemia at hospital admission proved to be an indicative factor for persistent radiological abnormalities in follow-up and it was associated with worse performance in 6MWT.