Exercise capacity impairment after COVID-19 pneumonia is mainly caused by deconditioning

The new severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can cause severe pneumonia characterised by dry cough, dyspnea, hypoxaemia, and diffuse ground glass opacities on chest computed tomography (CT) [1]. While much has been learnt concerning diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic, only scarce data is available concerning post-COVID long-term pulmonary sequelae. Data about pulmonary function in the early convalescence demonstrated impaired diffusion capacity, lower respiratory muscle strength, and radiological abnormalities [2, 3]. Herein we report data of cardio-pulmonary exercise testing (CPET) three months after severe COVID-19 pneumonitis.