Abstract

Background : Little is known about long-term pulmonary sequelae in COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) survivors. Aim: To assess pulmonary sequelae after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge and to assess predictors of occurence of fibrosis .Methods : A prospective study was conducted from May 2021 to September 2021 in a medical ICU. Survivors from ARDS COVID 19 were followed-up by chest computed tomography (CT) scan up to 6 six months after ICU discharge. Type of lesions and occurrence of  fibrosis were collected. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to determine independent risk factors of occurrence of fibrosis. Results : Seventy COVID-19 patients were discharged alive. Among them 48(68.6%) patients performed chest CT scan.  Mean age was 48.2±11.38 years with male predominance, 28(58.3%). Median Charlson score was 0[0-1]. At ICU admission, median PaO2/FiO2 and respiratory support duration were:104.5[8-196.7] and 6[4-8]days. Initial damage on chest CT scan was of 50-75% in 25(52,1%) and more than 75% in 14(29,2%) cases with ground-glass opacities  in 47(97,9%) and condensation in 23(47.9%). Follow-up chest CT scan findings demonstrated : improvement of lesions, residual ground-glass opacities and condensation and fibrosis were reported in respectively 47(97.9%), 32(66.7%), 8(16.7%) and 13(27.1%). On univariate analysis factors associated with fibrosis were age (p=0,003), Charlson (p=0,003), PaO2/FiO2 (p<10-3) and respiratory support duration (p=0,021). No factor was identified on multivariate analaysis. Conclusion : Pulmonary sequelae and fibrosis are prevalent among ICU survivors. Age, Charlson, PaO2/FiO2 and respiratory support duration were the predictors of fibrosis occurrence.