Long COVID patients face hidden lung problems leading to persistent breathlessness
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Aug 24, 2024 3 weeks, 3 hours, 53 minutes ago
Medical News: Small Airways Dysfunction and Lung Hyperinflation: A Closer Look
Researchers from several prestigious institutions, including the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens-Greece and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London-UK, have uncovered new insights into the persistent respiratory issues faced by long COVID patients. This
Medical News report delves into the findings of their study, which focuses on the dysfunction of small airways and lung hyperinflation as potential mechanisms behind the persistent breathlessness (Dyspnoea) experienced by these patients.
Long COVID patients face hidden lung problems leading to persistent breathlessness
Unveiling the Mystery of Long COVID Symptoms
The COVID-19 pandemic has left a lasting impact on millions, with many individuals continuing to experience symptoms long after their initial recovery. Termed as "long COVID," this condition is characterized by a range of lingering symptoms, the most common of which is dyspnea, or difficulty in breathing. While much attention has been given to the broader impacts of long COVID, this study shines a light on the specific lung issues that could be contributing to this ongoing discomfort.
In this study, which included 33 participants who had been hospitalized for COVID-19, researchers sought to understand the underlying causes of persistent dyspnea. Using a technique known as the single-breath nitrogen washout (SBN2W), they evaluated the function of small airways - parts of the lungs that play a critical role in breathing but are often overlooked in standard pulmonary tests. The study found that nearly 40% of the participants exhibited dysfunction in these small airways, a condition that was closely linked to lung hyperinflation - a state where excess air is trapped in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.
Key Study Findings: Small Airways Dysfunction in Focus
The study’s findings are significant, highlighting a critical area that has been underexplored in long COVID research. The presence of small airways dysfunction was determined by measuring closing capacity (CC), which indicates the point at which small airways begin to collapse during breathing. An abnormal CC was found in 39% of the participants, while lung hyperinflation was present in nearly half of the group. These conditions were found to be interrelated and were major contributors to the ongoing breathlessness experienced by the patients.
The research team also observed that patients with lung hyperinflation had higher levels of closing capacity and lower open capacity (OC), indicating that their lungs were not able to fully expel air. This was further correlated with higher scores on the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale, a tool used to measure the severity of dyspnea.
The Broader Implications: A Need for Early Detection
These findings underscore the importance of early detection and targeted treatment of small airways dysf
unction in long COVID patients. The study suggests that routine pulmonary function tests might not be sufficient to detect these subtle but significant issues. Instead, more specialized techniques, like the SBN2W used in this study, may be necessary to identify patients at risk of developing chronic respiratory problems.
By identifying small airways dysfunction and lung hyperinflation early, healthcare providers could potentially intervene more effectively, offering treatments that could alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life for long COVID patients. This approach might include the use of inhaled bronchodilators or corticosteroids, which have been shown to improve lung function and reduce symptoms in patients with similar conditions.
Challenges and Limitations: A Call for Further Research
While the study provides valuable insights, it is not without limitations. The small sample size and the retrospective nature of the study limit the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the study focused on patients who had been hospitalized with COVID-19, meaning the results may not apply to those with milder cases of the disease.
Furthermore, the study did not include follow-up data to assess how these lung conditions evolve over time or respond to treatment. This highlights the need for larger, longitudinal studies to better understand the long-term impacts of small airways dysfunction and lung hyperinflation in long COVID patients.
Conclusion: A Path Forward for Long COVID Treatment
In conclusion, this study provides crucial evidence that small airways dysfunction and lung hyperinflation are prevalent in long COVID patients and are likely contributing to their persistent dyspnea. These findings pave the way for more targeted and effective treatments, potentially offering relief to the millions of individuals still suffering from the effects of COVID-19.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Advances in Respiratory Medicine.
https://www.mdpi.com/2543-6031/92/5/31
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/irrespective-of-severity-40-percent-of-post-covid-pneumonia-patients-still-have-impaired-lung-diffusion-and-22-percent-developed-lung-fibrosis-a-year-
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-oxford-study-warns-that-many-breathless-long-covid-patients-have-impaired-gas-transfer-in-lungs-which-cannot-be-detected-by-normal-ct-scans
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