But other problems can linger and some people may never make a full recovery, experts say. Five years later, most had regained normal or near-normal lung function but still struggled with persistent physical and emotional issues. The patients ranged in age from 35 to 57, and while younger patients had a greater rate of physical recovery than older patients, “neither group returned to normal predicted levels of physical function at five years,” the authors wrote. The patients in the study had ARDS from a variety of causes, including pneumonia, sepsis, pancreatitis or burns. Another study by Dr. Needham and his colleagues found that about two-thirds of ARDS patients had significant fatigue a year later.

Source: New York Times July 01, 2020 19:42 UTC