A Study of Post COVID-19 Mechanisms for Chronic Lung Sequelae

Prior treatment

• Immunocompromised host status due to ongoing therapy with methotrexate, CellCept, azathioprine, rituximab, cyclophosphamide or other biologic agents;

Other illness

• Inability to provide informed consent, evidence of pre-existing interstitial lung disease or chronic lung disease;
• History of chemotherapy or radiation therapy in the last two years; and pregnancy.

Other

• Active cigarette smoking, vaping or other inhalation use.
• \> 20 pack year smoking history.

• For the Sequelae Group
• Age ≥18 years at screening, PCR confirmed COVID19 illness (+PCR defines day 0 of illness), hospitalization for COVID-19, absence of pre-existing history of interstitial lung disease, or significant other lung disease.
• Severity of illness will be categorized as moderate disease (supplemental oxygen need 1-8L at any time during hospitalization), severe disease (need for high flow oxygen delivery ≥8L at any time during hospitalization) and critical illness (need for ICU admission or mechanical ventilation).
  • Control Recovery Group
• Age ≥18 years at screening
• PCR confirmed COVID-19 cases who had nonsymptomatic or mild acute infection that do not require hospitalization 7,48,49
• Absence of pre-existing history of interstitial lung disease, or significant other lung disease, absence of any ongoing respiratory and systemic symptoms.