Long COVID's Respiratory Overlap Explained: Marc A. Sala, MD

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Cumulative evidence continues to suggest that long COVID can overlap with multiple respiratory-related comorbidities.

Clinicians have adapted, utilizing various tests and care strategies to diagnose or rule out potentially more severe underlying conditions, which may have been exacerbated by a prior COVID infection, Marc A. Sala, MD, associate professor of medicine (pulmonary and critical care) at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, said in an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care^®.

"Long COVID, in its umbrella term, when I'm talking about if someone has a chronic cough, I'm typically getting imaging to really nail down what it is that's causing that cough in that person," he said.

For patients with a persistent, productive cough, Sala said he will typically order a CT scan to rule out parenchymal or lung complications from the viral infection, such as bronchiectasis or pulmonary fibrosis.

Another important factor when assessing patients with long COVID is multidisciplinary specialty care. Many physicians have attested to the success of multidisciplinary care in how it strengthens communication between care teams, especially when centers cater to that treatment strategy.¹

"One thing I can say that's universal, it seems to me in my experience, is that the use of multiple specialists who are invested and have an interest in that particular disease type is really important because it really energizes and facilitates the ability to take care of that condition for people," Sala said.

He noted that this cross-specialty learning goes both ways, drawing on his experience leading Northwestern's COVID center alongside neurologist Igor Koralnik, MD, while also directing the health system's bronchiectasis program and contributing to its cystic fibrosis program.

This care strategy also paves the way for innovation in underrepresented areas of care that may be more pronounced in a different specialty, he said.

"And I think where that's sometimes under-recognized as being of value is integrating things that are important for one condition to the other, such as peer support groups, whether that's online or in person or virtual, and mental health support as well, for chronic ailments," Sala said.

Reference

1. McCrear S. Multidisciplinary ILD care enables earlier diagnosis: Steven D. Nathan, MD. AJMC. August 4, 2026. Accessed August 20, 2026. https://www.ajmc.com/view/multidisciplinary-ild-care-enables-earlier-diagnosis-steven-d-nathan-md