Post-COVID Characteristics
Subjects presented to clinic a mean of 3.2 months after a SARS-CoV-2 positive PCR or confirmed close contact (range: 1.3 to 6.7 months) (Table 3 ). Persistent dyspnea and/or exertional dyspnea were present in nearly all (96.6%) of the patients at the time of clinic presentation. Other commonly reported chronic symptoms were cough (51.7%) and exercise intolerance (48.3%). Fatigue was reported in four subjects (13.7%). One subject had an ongoing supplemental oxygen requirement. Oxyhemoglobin saturations ranged from 97% to 100%. Lung auscultation findings were normal in 27 subjects. Two subjects (6.9%) had abnormal auscultatory findings including decreased breath sounds and intermittent wheezing. Spirometry was performed in 28 patients. Mean percent predicted spirometry results included an FEV1 of 107%, an FVC of 110%, an FEV1/FVC of 86%, and an FEF25-75% of 100%. Improvement following bronchodilator administration was observed in 47.6% of the 21 subjects who underwent post-bronchodilator testing. Broncho-responsiveness occurred in ten patients, five of whom have known underlying asthma and five of whom do not. Plethysmography and diffusion capacity testing were performed in 14 subjects. Average percent predicted plethysmography results include a TLC of 108%, a VC of 120%, an FRC of 99%, and a RV of 87%. An elevated RV/TLC above 30% was observed in six patients ranging from 32% to 89%, suggestive of air trapping. Average percent predicted DLCO was 95% and DLCO/VA was 97%. Exercise intolerance on a six-minute walk test was observed in five out of nine patients (66.7%). Notably, these patients were found to have significant tachycardia for age (HR range: 120-213 bpm). Of the eight patients who had chest radiographs performed at the time of follow-up, only one was abnormal (12.5%). All of the 15 patients who had follow-up cardiac evaluations had normal EKG and/or echocardiogram (Table 3 ).