Mumbai hospital study shows lungs improve in 3 months post Covid-19

The majority of Covid19 patients even those with severe Covid19related pneumonia are likely to show signs of improvement in the lungs both structurally and functionally within three months showed a study by doctors at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital hereThe study published in the peer reviewed journal Lung India examined 42 patients with Covid19 pneumonia requiring oxygen therapy with severe acute respiratory syndrome and a positive Covid19 swab test They were followed up over a period of five monthsAbout 11 262 per cent patients had moderate and 31 738 per cent patients had severe pneumonia The mean age was 58 years The patients were treated with remdesivir and steroids with the average duration of steroids being about two weeksThe results of lung function tests and CT scans showed that the lungs recover well and the functioning continues to get better The majority of these did not require oxygen at the end of the three month studyWe saw consistent improvement in the lung function and CT scan after three months Most patients recover very well and this has also been the case in previous viral pandemics said Dr Sumeet Singhania Consultant Pulmonary Medicine Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in a statementThere is no need for patients with mild to moderate Covid19 to panic about lung fibrosis as most will continue to get better with no major impact on their lifestyle It is only in a very small number of patients who have very severe Covid19 that symptoms like breathlessness persist in the long run But even in those patients there will be an improvement with time he addedThe threemonth study also showed improvement in lung functions without any antifibrotic therapy indicating that every patient with Covid19 infection need not be started on antifibrotic medicationAntifibrotic drugs can slow down the process of fibrosis and not reverse it and while their role has been proven in chronic lung disease they are not useful in acute pneumonia or ARDS Singhania saidThe team now aims to expand the study and have registered around 300 patientsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever