CARDIAC ULTRASOUND ALTERATIONS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH PNEUMONIA RELATED TO COVID-19 INFECTION

Abstract

COVID-19 exhibits a broad spectrum of cardiac effects during its acute phase. Notably, troponin levels are elevated in 8 to 28% of cases, but clear signs of systolic myocardial dysfunction are uncommon. More frequently observed is subclinical myocardial dysfunction, often identified as a reduction in the global longitudinal strain of the left ventricle (LV GLS). During hospitalization, up to 80% of patients demonstrate this change. LV GLS is a significant independent predictor of in-hospital mortality and plays a vital role in risk assessment for follow-up care. This study presents initial findings on the long-term cardiovascular impact of COVID-19 one year post-hospitalization. We previously observed that patients who had COVID-19 pneumonia exhibited a decline in LV GLS and deformation parameters in the apical and some middle segments of the LV myocardium one year after discharge, a negative trend compared to data from three months post-discharge. The study aims to investigate the frequency and clinical relevance of long-term myocardial damage post-COVID-19. To achieve this, we analyzed patient data, categorizing them based on their LV GLS values one year after hospital discharge. This approach helps in understanding the long-term myocardial damage and its clinical implications following COVID-19.