Residual lung abnormality following COVID-19 hospitalisation is characterised by biomarkers of epithelial injury.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Long term respiratory symptoms are reported following recovery of acute COVID-19 infection and residual lung abnormalities (RLA) on follow-up thoracic computed tomography (CT) after COVID-19 hospitalisation have been observed. It is unknown whether RLA are associated with epithelial lung injury.

Methods

Plasma was sampled from the observational Post HOSPitalisation-COVID cohort at five months post-hospitalisation. Epithelial injury biomarkers Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7), surfactant protein-D (SP-D) and surfactant protein-A (SP-A) were assayed. In those without follow-up CT, RLA at-risk was defined by percent predicted DL_CO <80% and/or abnormal chest X-ray, otherwise they were considered low-risk. Follow-up CT RLA wa

SUBMITTER: Stewart I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12860639 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature