Cardiopulmonary long-term effects 30 months after severe COVID-19 infection
Authors' conclusion
Even though cardiopulmonary functional and structural abnormalities regressed over time, almost half of the patients still suffered from Long COVID at 30 months. The disconnect between pathological cardiopulmonary findings and reported symptoms, continues to pose a persistent clinical challenge in the understanding and managing Long COVID.
Study context
- Population
- Patients hospitalized between February 2020 and October 2021 with a PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infectioncompleted 6-month follow-up, those with pathological findings on cardiopulmonary imaging received additional follow-ups · 18-month follow-up 170 · 30-month follow-up 139
- Participants
- 200 patients
- Outcome
- Reduced left ventricular function
- Follow-up
- 30 months
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Persistent mild impairment at 30 months (patients with previously reduced left ventricular function)
- two patients
- 6 months
- n = 15 (8%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Pericardial effusion · 30 months
- 6 months
- n = 28 (17%)
- Resolved in all patients but one
Signs of pericarditis and myocarditis · 18 months
- 6 months
- n = 7 (5%)
- Already regressed at the 18-month follow-up
Chest computed tomography (CT) abnormalities · 30 months
- Complete resolution at 30 months
- one patient
- Remaining patients with minor fibrotic and scarred tissue, 30 months
- n = 17 (94%)
- 6 months
- n = 41 (24%)
Long COVID incidence · 6 and 30 months
- 6 months
- 73%
- 30 months
- 49%
- No clear predictors identified
Original publication
Cardiopulmonary long-term effects 30 months after severe COVID-19 infection. Eur Heart J Qual Care Clin Outcomes. Published 30 May 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →