tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Chin Med J Pulm Crit Care Med
. 2023 Jun;1(2):77-83.
doi: 10.1016/j.pccm.2022.12.002. Epub 2023 Jan 23. Pulmonary fibrosis: A short- or long-term sequelae of severe COVID-19?
Zhen Zheng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Fei Peng[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yong Zhou[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19), caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused an enormous impact on the global healthcare. SARS-CoV-2 infection primarily targets the respiratory system. Although most individuals testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 present mild or no upper respiratory tract symptoms, patients with severe COVID-19 can rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS-related pulmonary fibrosis is a recognized sequelae of COVID-19. Whether post-COVID-19 lung fibrosis is resolvable, persistent, or even becomes progressive as seen in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is currently not known and remains a matter of debate. With the emergence of effective vaccines and treatments against COVID-19, it is now important to build our understanding of the long-term sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection, to identify COVID-19 survivors who are at risk of developing chronic pulmonary fibrosis, and to develop effective anti-fibrotic therapies. The current review aims to summarize the pathogenesis of COVID-19 in the respiratory system and highlights ARDS-related lung fibrosis in severe COVID-19 and the potential mechanisms. It envisions the long-term fibrotic lung complication in COVID-19 survivors, in particular in the aged population. The early identification of patients at risk of developing chronic lung fibrosis and the development of anti-fibrotic therapies are discussed.
Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19); Lung fibrosis; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
. 2023 Jun;1(2):77-83.
doi: 10.1016/j.pccm.2022.12.002. Epub 2023 Jan 23. Pulmonary fibrosis: A short- or long-term sequelae of severe COVID-19?
Zhen Zheng[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Fei Peng[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yong Zhou[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 37388822
- PMCID: PMC9988550
- DOI: 10.1016/j.pccm.2022.12.002
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19), caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused an enormous impact on the global healthcare. SARS-CoV-2 infection primarily targets the respiratory system. Although most individuals testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 present mild or no upper respiratory tract symptoms, patients with severe COVID-19 can rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS-related pulmonary fibrosis is a recognized sequelae of COVID-19. Whether post-COVID-19 lung fibrosis is resolvable, persistent, or even becomes progressive as seen in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is currently not known and remains a matter of debate. With the emergence of effective vaccines and treatments against COVID-19, it is now important to build our understanding of the long-term sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection, to identify COVID-19 survivors who are at risk of developing chronic pulmonary fibrosis, and to develop effective anti-fibrotic therapies. The current review aims to summarize the pathogenesis of COVID-19 in the respiratory system and highlights ARDS-related lung fibrosis in severe COVID-19 and the potential mechanisms. It envisions the long-term fibrotic lung complication in COVID-19 survivors, in particular in the aged population. The early identification of patients at risk of developing chronic lung fibrosis and the development of anti-fibrotic therapies are discussed.
Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19); Lung fibrosis; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).