Clinical Presentation and Phenotypes in COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have focused on the different clinical presentations of the disease. The existence of a broad spectrum of respiratory compromise has been initially interpreted as the manifestation of different clinical phenotypes, with peculiar pathophysiological aspects translating into different requirements of respiratory support. Extensive research now converges on interpreting these phenotypes as different stages rather than distinct manifestations of the same pathology. While not all patients will evolve from an early COVID-19 pneumonia to an established COVID-19 related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the correct identification of the disease phase will translate into different therapeutic approaches. This chapter discusses the classification of COVID-19 phenotypes based on imaging and respiratory mechanics parameters, also in relation with the differences and similarities with the ARDS from causes other than COVID-19. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.