A silent march-Post covid fibrosis in asymptomatics - A cause for concern?

Thomas Antony; K Vishak Acharya; B Unnikrishnan; N S Keerthi

doi:10.1016/j.ijtb.2022.05.004

A silent march-Post covid fibrosis in asymptomatics - A cause for concern?

Indian J Tuberc. 2023 Apr;70(2):249-252. doi: 10.1016/j.ijtb.2022.05.004. Epub 2022 May 25.

Authors

Thomas Antony¹, K Vishak Acharya², B Unnikrishnan³, N S Keerthi²

Affiliations

¹ Dept. of Pulmonary Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India; Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: t.antony5@gmail.com.
² Dept. of Pulmonary Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India; Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
³ Dept. of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India; Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.

Abstract

We report a case series of patients presenting with undiagnosed pulmonary fibrosis as a primary manifestation. On evaluation, after excluding other causes, the fibrosis was attributed to asymptomatic or mild COVID illness in the past. This case series serves to highlight the difficulties posed to clinicians while evaluating pulmonary fibrosis in the post-COVID era, more so in mild to asymptomatic COVID-19. The intriguing possibility of fibrosis setting even in mild to asymptomatic COVID is discussed.

Keywords: COVID-19; Post COVID fibrosis; UIP.

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / complications
Humans
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis* / etiology
Lung