Evaluation of Cardiac Function in Uncomplicated COVID-19 Survivors by 2-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Imaging


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AKBULUT KOYUNCU İ. M., Tan S., GEREDE ULUDAĞ D. M., KOZLUCA V., DİNÇER İ.

ANATOLIAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY, vol.26, no.11, pp.841-848, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 26 Issue: 11
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.5152/anatoljcardiol.2022.1360
  • Journal Name: ANATOLIAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.841-848
  • Ankara University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is a multi-systemic infectious disease. Nearly 20%-30% of hospitalized patients have evidence of acute myocardial involvement, portending a poorer prognosis. However, information about the long-term effects of the disease on cardiac functions is sparse. As a result, there is a growing concern about the cardiac sequelae of COVID-19 among survivors. This study aimed to investigate the effects of prior mild-moderate COVID-19 infection on cardiac functions, using speckle tracking echocardiography. Methods: Patients who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the previous 6 months and age-, sex-, and risk factor-matched healthy adults were included. All patients underwent a comprehensive echocardiographic examination. Both conventional and 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiographic measurements were performed. Serum cardiac biomarkers were also obtained on the day of the echocardiographic study. Results: Compared with healthy controls, COVID-19 survivors had similar left and right ventricular longitudinal strain values at 6 months. Also, left and right atrial peak systolic strain values did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: Our study is valuable in putting forth the unaffected ventricular and atrial functions on long term in uncomplicated COVID-19 cases and may decrease the survivors' anxiety and the number of unnecessary applications to cardiology clinics.