Findings were consistent with impaired extraction of oxygen in skeletal muscle as opposed to pulmonary or cardiac dysfunction.
Dyspnea, fatigue, and decreased exercise tolerance are common in patients who have recovered from acute COVID-19. For some patients, particularly those who were critically ill, this might be due to persisting lung injury. However, many patients have symptoms without evidence of abnormality on common diagnostic studies.
Investigators studied 10 patients who underwent invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing (i.e., including right heart and radial artery catheterization) for unexplained exercise intolerance after mild COVID-19. All patients exhibited no evidence of parenchymal lung disease on computed tomography, had normal left ventricular function on echocardiography, and had no evidence of ischemia on exercise testing. Average time from SA…
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DisclosuresEditorial BoardsATS Scholar
DisclosuresEditorial BoardsATS Scholar