Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CAPA)

Abstract

COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) have been documented during the COVID-19 pandemic. The vast majority of these patients do not meet the classic EORTC/MSGERC criteria for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. The question arises as to whether there may have been an over-diagnosis of this disease. Here we review our experience and analyze the evolution of 27 patients who were diagnosed with CAPA during hospital admission. Surviving patients were followed-up for a mean time of 15 months (SD 3.78) by a group of experts and clinical records of diseased patients were reviewed. After expert evaluation and follow-up, 10 patients were finally assumed as CAPA according to expert opinion. These cases represent 40% of the initially CAPA assumed cases. Our data suggest the need to reconsider actual diagnosis criteria for CAPA what could drive to better identification of these patients.