Introduction: The main pathologies and complications associated with COVID-19 are primarily within the respiratory tract. According to the CDC and the American Lung Association, the top 10 most common lung pathologies include asthma, COPD, allergies/hay fever, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ADRS), cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer, pneumonia, and pleural effusion.

Methods: Consequently, PubMed, Scopus and google scholar databases were examined up to May 2021, using suitable keywords to understand the effect of COVID-19 on the different disease states of the lungs/respiratory system.  Individual and pooled prevalence rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) will be calculated using the fixed- or random-effects model as appropriate. Identification of the independent parameters based on age, sex, and illness to understand the effect of COVID-19 on the different disease states of the lungs/respiratory system will be carried out using the fixed and random-effects meta-analysis models as appropriate. 

Results: Our results from the meta-analysis clearly indicates that COVID-19 substantially causes acute respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, and pleural effusion. COVID-19 related deaths have been due to lung failure caused by severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, which is associated with a cytokine storm, fibrosis, and edema. In addition to the most common lung diseases, COVID-19 also causes alveolar exudative inflammation, diffuse alveolar damage, and acute lung injury. When comparing COVID-19 to other viral pathologies, influenza, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, and SARS were the main viral diseases reviewed. Populations at high risk for lung complications are similar among the common viral pathologies, with some differences noted. It was found that lung complications are more likely to occur in COVID-19, when compared to influenza. The long-term implications of COVID-19 on the respiratory tract is still being investigated, as well as further studies on the short-term complications from COVID-19.