The use of impulse oscillometry system for monitoring of lung mechanics during covid-19 pneumonia

Abstract

AbstractForced oscillation technique (FOT) is non-invasive method, that does not require the patient's participation and allows to evaluate lung and airways mechanics. The question addressed by the study is whether Computerized Tomography (CT) and FOT data correlate between and whether FOT allows to follow up the course of covid-19 pneumonia during the acute intrahospital and recovery period. Material, patients and methods In the study were involved 30 intrahospital treated spontaneously breathing, oxygen dependent patients with moderate severity SARS-CoV-2 induced pneumonia. (CT) scans were quantitatively assessed by CT-scoring method. During the hospital stay and 3 months after the discharge lung function was measured by FOT method. Results During acute period resistance values R5 and R5-20 were elevated above the upper limit of normal (ULN) in 28% and 50% of all patients respectively. Reactance indices X5, AX and Fres exceeded ULN in 55%, 68% and 66% of cases. Significant correlations were observed between PaO2/FiO2, the time spent in the hospital and R5, X5, AX and Fres expressed as % of predicted. Significant correlations between FOT indices and CT-score was not found. After 3 months 18 patients were compared. R5-20 from 316;-171/+583 decreased to 122;- 56/+266% pred. P = 0,0075. AX from 448;- 275/+731 decreased to 213;- 131/+347% pred,p = 0,0112 and Fres from 171;- 143/+200 to 130;- 110/+150%pred, p = 0,0081. Study has shown that FOT method reliably reflects the pathological changes in lung mechanics and allows to monitor the course of covid-19 disease, but it cannot substitute for CT.