Covid-19 and DPOC: Clinical Relationships and their Repercussions

3. Ngai, Jenny C., et al. "O impacto a longo prazo da síndrome respiratória aguda severa na função pulmonar, capacidade de exercício e estado de saúde". Respirology (Carlton, Vic.), Vol, 15, no 3, abril de 2010, p.543-50. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.14401843.2010.01720.x.

4. Chapman, David G., et al. "Cuidado na interpretação da capacidade de difusão anormal do monóxido de carbono em pacientes COVID-19. European Respiratory Journal, vol. 57, no1, janeiro de 2021. Erj.ersjournals.com, https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.03263-2020.

Introduction: In view of the important repercussion in the last year, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-COV-2) has brought numerous pulmonary sequelae for survivors of a character similar to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), however their relationships remain unclear. until the moment.

Objectives: with this, the main objective will be to analyze the obstructive pattern of both infections, regarding the pulmonary function of COPD patients, correlating with the post-COVID-19 infection and its systemic repercussions, observing the possible relationships between them.

Materials and methods: a bibliographic review was carried out on the scientific platforms, PubMed and Scielo, with criteria for the collection of articles in Portuguese and English, on the selection of keywords, preferably in recent years on the subject addressed and, at the exclusion criterion, those that did not address the same were used.

Results: A decrease in lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) was observed in at least 30% of analyzes in post-COVID-19 patients, in addition to a FVC, TLC and FEV1<80% of usual values, even after 24 months of discharge, indicating signs of respiratory failure. Parallel to this, studies indicate that COPD patients can evolve, even initially, with mild to moderate hypoxemia, where DLCO would be one of the functional markers of emphysema and, also, for rapid loss of FEV1, indicating a reduced survival in both situations.

In the same way, a diffuse destruction of the alveolar epithelium can be observed, associated or not, to the local fibrotic proliferation, revealing a pulmonary consolidation, which, such factor, would facilitate the installation of an inflammatory process of the airways, a common finding, for example, in chronic bronchitis and, more recently, in SARS-COV-2 infection.

Conclusion: Thus, the pulmonary function of post-COVID-19 patients and COPD patients was notably lower than that of a healthy individual; with diffusion capacity being the most affected pulmonary evaluation test, since, in both, there is a significant reduction in the alveolar surface area (approximately 15.5%). Thus, it is known that COVID-19 resembles the decrease in the alveolar-capillary surface, as occurs in emphysema. And, when associated, there is greater involvement of hematosis, progressing to worsening of the clinical picture. And, therefore, patients with a previous diagnosis of respiratory disease who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 should be re-evaluated, preferably 3 months after the discovery of the infection, or before if there is a worsening of symptoms.