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Introduction: Subjects recovering from COVID-19 frequently experience persistent respiratory ailments which are key elements of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC); however, little is known about the underlying biological factors that may direct lung recovery and the extent to which these are affected by COVID-19 severity. Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of subjects with persistent symptoms after acute COVID-19, collecting clinical data, pulmonary function tests, and plasma samples used for multiplex profiling of inflammatory, metabolic, angiogenic, and fibrotic factors.Results: Sixty-one subjects were enrolled across two academic medical centers at a median of 9 weeks (interquartile range 6-10) after COVID-19 illness: n=13 subjects (21%) mild/nonhospitalized, n=30 (49%) hospitalized/non-critical, and n=18 subjects (30%) hospitalized/intensive care ("ICU"). Fifty-three subjects (85%) had lingering symptoms, most commonly dyspnea (69%) and cough (58%). Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) declined as COVID-19 severity increased (P<0.05), but did not correlate with respiratory symptoms. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis of plasma biomarker profiles clustered subjects by past COVID-19 severity. Lipocalin 2 (LCN2), matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) identified by the model were significantly higher in the ICU group (P<0.05) and inversely correlated with FVC and DLCO (P<0.05), and were confirmed in a separate validation cohort (n=53). Conclusions: Subjective respiratory symptoms are common after acute COVID-19 illness but do not correlate with COVID-19 severity or pulmonary function. Host response profiles reflecting neutrophil activation (LCN2), fibrosis signaling (MMP-7), and alveolar repair (HGF) track with lung impairment and may be novel therapeutic or prognostic targets.

Symptoms of anxiety among COPD patients as identified by screening questionnaires were common and significantly higher than the prevalence of anxiety disorder meeting by DSM-V criteria. The GAD-7, the HADS and the AIR questionnaires had fair to moderate psychometric properties as screening tools for anxiety in individuals with COPD, indicating the need for improved measures for this patient population.

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