Curr Health Sci J, vol. 47, no. 3, 2021

Long COVID Mimicking Interstitial Lung Disease: A Case Series

[Case Report]

N. Goel(1), N. Goyal(1), R.Kumar(1)


(1)Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Viswanathan Chest Hospital, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, India


Abstract:

Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) can occur due to various known or unknown causes. They usually present with dry cough and exertional dyspnea. On radiology usual findings are ground glass opacities (GGO’s), reticular shadows, nodules etc. Some patients after acute COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) suffer from persistent symptoms/manifestations. These have been called ‘Long COVID’. Long COVID also has radiological features like GGO’s, nodules and reticulations. Also, patients without the history of acute COVID-19 also can present with ‘Long COVID’. In the present case series, we describe three such cases with no history of having suffered from COVID-19, presenting with ILD like features and diagnosed as Long COVID. We infer from these cases that ‘Long COVID’ can mimic clinically and radiologically the ILD’s. Hence, emphasizing the fact that in the present COVID-19 pandemic situation, ‘Long COVID should be a differential diagnosis to be considered while making a new diagnosis of ILD.


Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2, Interstitial Lung Disease, COVID19, IgG, COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing.



Corresponding:
Nitin Goel, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Viswanathan Chest Hospital, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India, e-mail: drnitingoel@gmail.com


DOI 10.12865/CHSJ.47.03.22 - Download PDF