Prognostic of Dysfunctional Breathing in Long Covid: a Follow up Study

Prognostic of Dysfunctional Breathing in Long Covid: a Follow up Study

Dysfunctional breathing might participate to dyspnoea in long COVID-19. This study investigate the prognosis of patients diagnosed with dysfunctional breathing after SARS-CoV-2 infection in our center.

Dysfunctional breathing (DB) with or without hyperventilation syndrome (HVS) as diagnosed using cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) was recently demonstrated as an important physiopathological mechanism of persistent dyspnoea in long COVID patients [1]. DB is characterized by specific ventilation pattern on CPET accompanied by respiratory discomfort and/or dyspnea at exercise [2]. Most patients with DB will have undergone some sort a specific physiotherapy retraining [3]. However the prognostic and the predictors of persistence/resolution of DB after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are unknown.

The aim of the study is to determine the prognostic of patients diagnosed with DB after SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as prognosis factors and predictors of persistence/resolution of DB during a prospective follow up visit.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients 14 years or more
• diagnosis of DB after SARS-CoV-2 at our long covid clinic using a combined approach of symptoms and CPET analysis in the hospitals of Sion, Martigny or Rennaz
• Inclusion between November 2020 and until the end of October 2021

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate
• comorbidities preventing the CPET or PFT to be carried out