Incidence rate and risk factors of pulmonary conditions three years post COVID-19 in Bronx, New York: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract This retrospective cohort study used propensity-matched cohorts with a 3-year follow-up (March 2020–July 2023) to determine incidence rates, relative risks, and risk factors for incident pulmonary conditions after COVID-19 exposure. Data were drawn from a multi-center health system in New Y...

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Main Authors: Sonya S. Henry, Stephen H. Wang, Wei Hou, Tim Q. Duong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15347-4
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author Sonya S. Henry
Stephen H. Wang
Wei Hou
Tim Q. Duong
author_facet Sonya S. Henry
Stephen H. Wang
Wei Hou
Tim Q. Duong
author_sort Sonya S. Henry
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This retrospective cohort study used propensity-matched cohorts with a 3-year follow-up (March 2020–July 2023) to determine incidence rates, relative risks, and risk factors for incident pulmonary conditions after COVID-19 exposure. Data were drawn from a multi-center health system in New York City. Participants had at least 30 days of follow-up and included patients with or without COVID-19 confirmed by PCR, diagnosed with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), or without COVID-19/LRTI testing. COVID-19 status was defined by positive PCR, LRTI requiring hospitalization, or neither. The final cohort (n = 69,632) comprised 1:1 propensity-matched comparisons based on age, sex, race/ethnicity, obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, and smoking, stratified by hospitalization. Primary outcomes were incidence rates, hazard ratios (HRs), and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for new-onset pulmonary conditions. The study included 34,816 matched COVID-19 survivors and 34,816 non-COVID survivors. Non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients had a threefold higher risk of incident pulmonary conditions compared to non-COVID controls (aHR = 3.36, 95% CI: 3.02–3.73). Hospitalized COVID-19 patients showed similar risk to hospitalized LRTI controls (aHR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.84–1.84). Multiple sensitivity analyses were conducted. COVID-19 increases pulmonary risk in non-hospitalized patients but not in hospitalized cohorts compared with LRTI. These findings underscore the need for monitoring and intervention in at-risk individuals.
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spelling doaj-art-0130ccbe72dc468e84d598bb0beb2c6b2025-08-20T04:02:46ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-011511810.1038/s41598-025-15347-4Incidence rate and risk factors of pulmonary conditions three years post COVID-19 in Bronx, New York: a retrospective cohort studySonya S. Henry0Stephen H. Wang1Wei Hou2Tim Q. Duong3Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical CenterDepartment of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical CenterDepartment of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical CenterDepartment of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical CenterAbstract This retrospective cohort study used propensity-matched cohorts with a 3-year follow-up (March 2020–July 2023) to determine incidence rates, relative risks, and risk factors for incident pulmonary conditions after COVID-19 exposure. Data were drawn from a multi-center health system in New York City. Participants had at least 30 days of follow-up and included patients with or without COVID-19 confirmed by PCR, diagnosed with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), or without COVID-19/LRTI testing. COVID-19 status was defined by positive PCR, LRTI requiring hospitalization, or neither. The final cohort (n = 69,632) comprised 1:1 propensity-matched comparisons based on age, sex, race/ethnicity, obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, and smoking, stratified by hospitalization. Primary outcomes were incidence rates, hazard ratios (HRs), and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for new-onset pulmonary conditions. The study included 34,816 matched COVID-19 survivors and 34,816 non-COVID survivors. Non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients had a threefold higher risk of incident pulmonary conditions compared to non-COVID controls (aHR = 3.36, 95% CI: 3.02–3.73). Hospitalized COVID-19 patients showed similar risk to hospitalized LRTI controls (aHR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.84–1.84). Multiple sensitivity analyses were conducted. COVID-19 increases pulmonary risk in non-hospitalized patients but not in hospitalized cohorts compared with LRTI. These findings underscore the need for monitoring and intervention in at-risk individuals.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15347-4
spellingShingle Sonya S. Henry
Stephen H. Wang
Wei Hou
Tim Q. Duong
Incidence rate and risk factors of pulmonary conditions three years post COVID-19 in Bronx, New York: a retrospective cohort study
Scientific Reports
title Incidence rate and risk factors of pulmonary conditions three years post COVID-19 in Bronx, New York: a retrospective cohort study
title_full Incidence rate and risk factors of pulmonary conditions three years post COVID-19 in Bronx, New York: a retrospective cohort study
title_fullStr Incidence rate and risk factors of pulmonary conditions three years post COVID-19 in Bronx, New York: a retrospective cohort study
title_full_unstemmed Incidence rate and risk factors of pulmonary conditions three years post COVID-19 in Bronx, New York: a retrospective cohort study
title_short Incidence rate and risk factors of pulmonary conditions three years post COVID-19 in Bronx, New York: a retrospective cohort study
title_sort incidence rate and risk factors of pulmonary conditions three years post covid 19 in bronx new york a retrospective cohort study
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15347-4
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