COVID-19 and Pulmonary Bullae: Evidence from a Bicentric-Center, Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: More than 87% of patients with COVID-19 have at least one resistant symptom after recovery, and bullous disease may be as a one of these resistant conditions. Methods: This bicentric cross-sectional study examined hospitalised patients with confirmed COVID-19 and pulmonary bullous disease from July 2021 to February 2022 in two hospitals. A radiologist reviewed all patients' chest CT scans for the presence of bullae or cysts. Results: In this study, 34 COVID-19 patients with lung bullae were identified. The majority of bullae were small or medium-sized and located in the left or right lung, with 20.6% being bilateral. Most patients had a single bulla. The mortality rate was 29.4%, with an average survival time of 13 days for deceased patients. Increased age, smoking, respiratory comorbidities, intubation, and bilateral bullae were associated with lower survival time. However, no significant association was found between survival time and sex, size, or number of bullae. Findings provide important insights into the clinical implications of COVID-19 and lung bullae. Conclusions: Recognizing the coexistence of COVID-19 and pulmonary bullous disease is crucial as bilateral bullae were associated with lower survival time. Further research is needed to determine the relationship between COVID-19 and lung bullae.