Assessing Lung Function and Quality of Life in COVID-19 Patients: A Pilot Study

Background and Objective: Respiratory complications of COVID-19 should be considered as critical concerns that require prompt medical intervention. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of COVID-19 on pulmonary function and quality of life among recovered patients through a three-month follow-up period. Methods: This pilot study aimed to assess the pulmonary functions and quality of life in 32 COVID-19 survivors at Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman, Iran. Pulmonary functions were evaluated using spirometry to evaluate FVC, FEV1, PEF, and FEV1/FVC. Quality of life was measured using the SF-36 questionnaire, which evaluated eight health-related concepts. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v23. Results: Among the 32 survivors of COVID-19, 41.6% and 59.4% were male and female, respectively. The mean length of hospitalization for admitted patients (56.3% of all patients) was 10.89 days. Male survivors exhibited significantly lower values in FEV1 (3.06 vs. 4.05, p = 0.02), PEF (6.45 vs. 10.58, p = 0.002), and FEF-25-75 (3.17 vs. 4.94, p = 0.008) compared to healthy males of the same age. For female survivors, all pulmonary indices were significantly lower than healthy females of the same age. Regarding quality of life, there was no statistical significance between male and female survivors. However, when compared with healthy populations, survivors obtained lower scores in various quality-of-life items. Male survivors had notably lower scores in physical functioning (3.17 vs. 4.94, p = 0.008) and physical role (40.38 vs. 73.8, p = 0.008). Female survivors scored considerably lower than the healthy population in all quality of life items, except for role emotional and mental health. Conclusion: COVID-19 survivors had lower pulmonary indices and quality of life compared to healthy individuals of the same sex and age, with female survivors exhibiting worse conditions.