PLoS ONE (Jan 2023)

Association between serum ferritin level and decreased diffusion capacity 3 months after the onset of COVID-19 pneumonia

  • Kyota Shinfuku,
  • Naoki Takasaka,
  • Taiki Fukuda,
  • Kentaro Chida,
  • Yudai Suzuki,
  • Shun Shibata,
  • Ayako Kojima,
  • Tsukasa Hasegawa,
  • Masami Yamada,
  • Yumie Yamanaka,
  • Yusuke Hosaka,
  • Aya Seki,
  • Yoshitaka Seki,
  • Hiroshi Takeda,
  • Takeo Ishikawa,
  • Kazuyoshi Kuwano

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 2

Abstract

Read online

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia can have prolonged sequelae and lead to respiratory dysfunction, mainly because of impaired diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO). The clinical factors associated with DLCO impairment, including blood biochemistry test parameters, remain unclear. Methods Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who underwent inpatient treatment between April 2020 and August 2021 were included in this study. A pulmonary function test was performed 3 months after onset, and the sequelae symptoms were investigated. Clinical factors, including blood test parameters and abnormal chest shadows on computed tomography, of COVID-19 pneumonia associated with DLCO impairment were investigated. Results In total, 54 recovered patients participated in this study. Twenty-six patients (48%) and 12 patients (22%) had sequelae symptoms 2 and 3 months after, respectively. The main sequelae symptoms at 3 months were dyspnea and general malaise. Pulmonary function tests showed that 13 patients (24%) had both DLCO 686.5 ng/mL (odds ratio: 11.08, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.84–66.59; p = 0.009) was most strongly associated with DLCO impairment. Conclusions Decreased DLCO was the most common respiratory function impairment, and ferritin level was a significantly associated clinical factor. Serum ferritin level could be used as a predictor of DLCO impairment in cases of COVID-19 pneumonia.