Clinical outcomes from COVID-19 infection in patients with COPD: 5 years later

Introduction: Evidence of impact of COVID-19 infection on course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is still limited.

Aim: To assess clinical outcomes of moderate COVID-19 infection in patients with moderate COPD by comparison of disease control, i.e., the frequency and severity of symptoms, level of health status impairment, values of spirometrc parameters and exacerbation risk, registered at two points in time: 2020 and 2025.

Material and methods: We performed a cross-sectional study including 74 patients with moderate COPD divided in two groups. The first group (COVID-19 group) included 37 COPD patients who had COVID-19 infection of moderate severity in 2020. The second group (non-COVID-19 group) included patients with COPD who did not have coronavirus disease in the period 2020-2025. The frequency and severity of symptoms and level of health impairment were assessed by COPD Assessment Test (CAT): lung function was assessed by spirometric measurements, and exacerbation risk was predicted by exacerbation rate registered in the previous year.

Conclusion: Our findings indicated significant impact of the COVID-19 infection on symptoms, patient’s health and daily life, as well as on the lung function and exacerbation risk emphasizing a need of careful monitoring of these patients upon recovery from COVID-19 infection in order to minimize the impact of infection on COPD progression.