Post-COVID Pulmonary Function Test Evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: Since the lung is the most affected organ by COVID-19 disease, we aimed to evaluate the pulmonary function test, presence of hypoxemia, and Post-COVID-19 Functional Status Scale in 3- to 6-month post-COVID period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Post-COVID-19 Functional Status Scale, pulse oxygen saturation, and pulmonary function test were evaluated in 67 outpatients/inpatients after 3-6 months following COVID-19 (positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal swab) disease. Pre-COVID pulmonary function test parameters were available in 33 patients, and these were compared with post-COVID pulmonary function test parameters. RESULTS: We found 20.9% (14 patients) restrictive and 11.9% (8 patients) obstructive patterns in pulmonary function test. Of those with forced vital capacity < 80%, 53.3% were patients without known lung diseases. When pulmonary function test values before and after COVID-19 were compared, only a loss of 130 mL in forced expiratory volume in 1 second was determined (P = .005). About 65.4% of the patients with dyspnea were in the group without a lung disease (P = .002) and 66.7% of patients with forced expiratory volume in 1 second and forced vital capacity of .05). Smoking, hospitalization, oxygen support, and the severity of computed tomography involvement did not impact pulmonary function test. CONCLUSION: In post-COVID patients, the major disorder in the respiratory function test was determined as a restriction. However, advanced tests such as lung volumes and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) measurement and high-resolution lung tomography are needed to differentiate in terms of physical functional limitation or parenchymal fibrosis.

Coexistence of COVID-19, Pseudomonas, and thoracic actinomycosis in a cystic bronchiectasis case.

Actinomycosis often leads to cervicofacial infections, but thoracic involvement may also occur. However, the development of empyema is rare. While being followed up with the diagnosis of asthma and bronchiectasis, our case was hospitalized for infected bronchiectasis. As empyema developed in the follow-up, the pleural effusion was drained by tube thoracostomy. Actinomycosis was diagnosed through pleural effusion cytology. Growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed in sputum culture, and SARS-CoV2 RT-PCR was also positive in nasopharyngeal sampling. Polymicrobial agents can often be detected in actinomycosis. Actinomycosis cases have also been reported in the post-COVID period. Our case is presented since it would be the first in the literature regarding the coexistence of COVID-19, Pseudomonas, and thoracic Actinomycosis (empyema).

COVID-19 and comorbidities: Predictors, clinical course, relationship with disease severity, and outcome

Aim: COVID-19 disease has a broad spectrum ranging from asymptomatic course to death. While data show that the prognosis of the disease will be poor in the presence of comorbidity, we witness the death of patients with no comorbidities in our clinical practice. This study aimed to investigate the effect of comorbidity on the clinical course and mortality of COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: 155 Rt-PCR (+) adult patients hospitalized at Ízzet Baysal State Hospital (Bolu, Turkey) diagnosed with severe and critical pneumonia between August 2020 and February 2021 were included in this single-center, retrospective study. The patients were divided into two groups with and without comorbidity, compared the severity of inflammation parameters, radiological involvement, and oxygen requirement, and evaluated their effects on mortality and hospitalization duration. Results: There was no significant difference in the severity of the computed tomography (CT) involvement, the oxygen requirement, inflammation markers, and duration of hospitalization in patients with comorbidities compared to those without. When we evaluated the patients with comorbidities in general and their subgroups, the relationship with mortality was not significant. The severity of CT involvement, high oxygen requirement, and inflammation markers such as lymphocyte, lymphocyte ratio, LDH, CRP, troponin, ferritin levels were found to be associated with mortality. Conclusions: In this study, we found that the presence of comorbidity did not affect mortality and duration of stay and that the severity of radiological involvement, the severity of hypoxemia, and the increase in inflammation markers were the determinants of mortality.