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Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the pulmonary function of patients with 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19)-induced pneumonia., Methods: A retrospective analysis of 137 patients with COVID-19-induced pneumonia who were discharged from the Enze Hospital, Taizhou Enze Medical Center (Group) from January 31 2020 to March 11 2020 was conducted. Follow-up occurred 2 weeks after hospital discharge, during which patients underwent a pulmonary function test., Results: Of the 137 patients who underwent a pulmonary function test 2 weeks after discharge, 51.8% were male, and the mean age was 47 years. Only 19.7% of the patients were identified as having severe COVID-19-induced pneumonia. The pulmonary function tests showed that for a small number of patients the forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC)/% values were <70%, and the mean forced inspiratory volume (IVC) and FVC values were 2.4±0.7 and 3.2±0.8 L, respectively. In severe cases, 88.9% of patients had an IVC <80% of the predicted value, and 55.6% of patients had an FVC <80% of the predicted value. The proportion of patients with maximum expiratory flow rate at 25%, 50% and 75% of the vital capacity (MEF25, MEF50, and MEF75) values <70% were 55.6%, 40.7%, and 25.9%, respectively. In the non-severe group, 79.1% of patients had an IVC <80% of the predicted value, and 16.4% of patients had an FVC <80% of the predicted value. The mean MEF25, MEF50, and MEF75 <70% values were 57.3%, 30%, and 13.6%, respectively., Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that the pulmonary function of patients with COVID-19-induced pneumonia predominantly manifested as restrictive ventilation disorder and small airway obstruction, which was increased in critically ill patients.

Objective: To investigate the effect of corticosteroids therapy on the inflammatory response in a critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient., Methods: A 55-year old female patient with critical ill COVID-19 was admitted in Taizhou Hospital on January 19, 2020. The patient was treated with methylprednisolone 80 mg on the 2nd day after admission. Thereafter, the dose was adjusted in a timely manner and the therapy lasted for 13 days. The peripheral lymphocyte subsets (CD3 + T, CD4 + T, CD8 + T, NK cells, B cells), as well as serum levels of lymphocyte factors (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ) were dynamically monitored., Results: On D1 of admission, the numbers of peripheral blood CD3 + T, CD4 + T, CD8 + T, and NK cells were significantly lower than the normal range. With the improvement of the disease, the numbers of CD3 + T, CD8 + T and CD4 + T cells gradually recovered and showed a linear growth trend (linear fitting equation: Y =18.59 X +109.4, P <0.05). On D2 of admission, the patient's IL-6 and IL-10 levels were significantly higher than normal values, IFN-γ was at a normal high value, and then rapidly decreased; IL-2, IL-4, and TNF-α were all in the normal range. On the D6 and D7, the IL-6 and IL-10 decreased to the normal range for the first time. On the D18, the sputum virus nucleic acid test was negative for the first time, and the fecal virus nucleic acid test was still positive; on the D20 the sputum and fecal virus nucleic acid test were both negative. On D34, the patient recovered and was discharged. At the discharge the muscle strength score of the patient was 44 and the daily life ability evaluation was 90., Conclusions: In the absence of effective antiviral drugs, early use of appropriate doses of corticosteroids in critically ill patient with COVID-19 can quickly alleviate inflammatory response and improve clinical symptoms, however, it may reduce the number of T cells, and to adjust the dose in time is necessary.