According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide, causing 3.23 million deaths in 2019.
According to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), over 350 million people globally suffer from asthma, and 15-27% of adults die from it.
That number will grow.
According to WHO over 220 million people globally suffer from COPD (KOL) in 2019.
That number will also grow.
Alterations of gas transport may be present even in subjects who had mild COVID- 19 pneumonia and no or minimal persisting CT abnormalities.