The following is a summary of “View Score: An early warning score to detect possible complications among COVID-19 patients,” published in the December 2023 issue of Primary Care by Bhakare, et al.
For a study, researchers sought to fully understand how coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects the body, it is important to know how the lungs work at different stages after infection. For a study, researchers sought to determine the relationship between spirometry scores and clinical signs in COVID-19 patients after 6 weeks and to see if spirometry measures like forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). The ratio of FEV1/FVC get worse or better in COVID-19 cases. Also, to look into the link between FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC and clinical results and oxygen levels.
A prospective observational study was done over 6 weeks with 25 COVID-19 patients who had no symptoms or only weak symptoms. Briota Technologies Pvt Ltd. (BRIOTA) sent each patient a pulse oximeter, a thermometer, and a spirometer that they could use at home. The brand name is SpiroPRO®. Patients and healthcare workers were taught how to do spirometry twice a day and were given access to mobile apps. Machine learning methods were used to determine the VIEWTM number from spirometry data, patient complaints, and vital statistics.
The Bland–Altman plots showed that FEV1 went down a little for 21–28 days and then returned to normal around 42 days. The VIEWTM score went up until day 21, then it went down until day 42. The chance of COVID-19 problems goes up as the VIEWTM score goes up. There was a strong link between the VIEWTMnumber and the FEV1 value. Home-based spirometry is a useful tool for COVID-19 patients to predict lung problems and encourage self-monitoring, which makes the health system less busy.
Source: journals.lww.com/jfmpc/fulltext/2023/12120/view_score__an_early_warning_score_to_detect.25.aspx