Identifying the burden of post-Covid-19 lung disease in the UK

Severe COVID-19 infection frequently causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and leads to requirement for mechanical ventilation. While there is an appropriate focus currently on the acute management of COVID19, NHS Scotland must also plan for the long term care of potentially thousands of patients who will experience long term complications of COVID19. Prior studies in ARDS due to other causes find 75% have long term lung damage on CT scanning and individuals have reduced quality of life and neuropsychiatric effects of ICU admission. As COVID19 is a new disease, there is a need to characterise the long term consequences and future care needs of COVID19 survivors. In this study we will use symptom questionnaires, CT scanning and lung function testing in a national cohort of ARDS survivors to determine the long term consequences of this disease and identify future management approaches.