ABSTRACT
The global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had far-reaching impacts on patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), from diagnosis to management. In addition, after infection, persistent parenchymal change is associated with ongoing symptoms and functional impairment even in patients without pre-existing lung disease. The challenge of investigating and treating these patients has often fallen to ILD physicians. This review therefore seeks to explore the relationship between COVID-19 and the interstitium, as well as the model of care for patients with pre-existing ILD and those patients with persistent disease following recovery from their initial infection. Educational aims: To understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with existing interstitial lung disease.To explore the development of interstitial lung disease after COVID-19 infection.
ABSTRACT
Myall et al provide a response to the comment of Denneny et al on their paper regarding the role for steroids in COVID-19-associated pneumonitis at six-week follow-up. Given the risk factors for severe COVID-19 pneumonitis, they agree that steroid therapy is not without risk in this group. Individual patient discussion was key, and hence, five patients did not commence steroid treatment after review. It is therefore worth noting that the quoted proportions of patients with comorbidity refers to the whole cohort referred to the interstitial lung disease (ILD) service and not to the treatment group, who had lower rates of comorbidity. All patients had weekly telephone support and diabetes team input as appropriate. As a result, they saw no major complications of treatment.