COVID-19 as a risk factor for the development of pulmonary fibrosis in a referral hospital in Lima, Peru

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, but we must study the potential sequelae left in the population. Cases of pulmonary fibrosis have been reported after severe COVID-19. However, the association between these factors has not been widely studied in Latin American countries, one of the regions most affected by the pandemic. METHODS A case-control study was conducted to determine whether a history of hospitalization due to COVID-19 is a risk factor for developing pulmonary fibrosis. We compared patients with a radiological diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis on high-resolution computed tomography (cases) with those without such findings (controls), conducted between March 2021 and June 2023 in a referral hospital in Lima, Peru. RESULTS Among the total number of patients evaluated, the median age was 72 years, with a predominance of females (58.2%). 7.5% of patients with pulmonary fibrosis had a history of hospitalization due to COVID-19, compared to 6.1% in the control group (OR 1.24; 95% CI 0.65 to 2.36). The stratified analysis revealed a significant odds ratio for the group of patients with arterial hypertension (OR 5.9; 95% CI 1.28 to 27.34). The median follow-up after hospitalization for COVID-19 was 315.5 days. CONCLUSIONS Hospitalization due to COVID-19 was not a risk factor for developing pulmonary fibrosis one year after medical discharge, except in patients with hypertension. Evidence suggests that the prevalence of pulmonary fibrosis may decrease over time.