Title:Pathological Lung Ultrasound May Take Time to Resolve Despite Respiratory
Symptoms Improvement: A Pediatric Case Series Followed for Long
COVID
Volume: 19
Issue: 4
Author(s): Angela Klain*, Cristiana Indolfi, Giulio Dinardo, Marcella Contieri, Fabio Decimo and Michele Miraglia del Giudice
Affiliation:
- Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Naples, Italy
Keywords:
Case series, COVID-19, follow-up, long Covid, lung ultrasound, children.
Abstract:
Background: Long COVID affects 8 to 10 % of children. Currently, the COVID-19 follow-
up protocols in children include chest auscultation, collection of growth parameters, including
weight, height and body mass index, execution of the six-minute walking test, basal spirometry, and
afterwards, bronchodilation test and lung ultrasound.
Case Presentation: In this paper, the authors describe a case series of long COVID followed up for
9 months at the Department of Pediatrics of the University Luigi Vanvitelli. The review of the literature
was performed on PubMed using the keywords COVID-19, follow-up, children, and lung ultrasound.
The aim of this article was to highlight the need to create custom follow-up programs for
long Covid in children through the description of a case followed up at our Pediatric Department
and a review of the current literature.
Discussion: The reversal of pathological lung ultrasound signs occurred in six or nine months despite
the early improvement of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function. There are limited studies
on the ultrasonography follow-up of kids with COVID-19 in the literature, and there are still no
follow-up COVID-19 guidelines for paediatric population.
Conclusion: Pathological lung ultrasound in children recovered from COVID-19, may take time to
resolve; therefore, evaluating patients with lung ultrasound in the following months could be a radiation-
saving approach useful for children who have fully recovered and have no warning signs.
