Relationship between echocardiographic tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and mortality in COVID-19 patients:...

The evaluation of the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) is recommended to assess the right ventricular (RV) systolic function. We performed an updated meta-analysis of the association between TAPSE and short-term mortality in COVID-19 patients.

MEDLINE and Scopus databases were searched to locate all the articles published up to May 1, 2021, reporting data on TAPSE among COVID-19 survivors and non-survivors. The difference of TAPSE between the two groups was expressed as mean difference (MD) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) using the Mantel-Haenszel random effects model. Both Q value and I² statistics were used to assess heterogeneity across studies. Sensitivity analysis, meta-regression, and evaluation of bias were performed.

Twelve studies, enrolling 1272 COVID-19 patients (778 males, mean age 69.3 years), met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Non-survivors had a lower TAPSE compared to survivors (MD =  -3.089 mm, 95% CI =  -4.087 to -2.091, p < 0.0001, I²  = 79.0%). Both the visual inspection of the funnel plot and the Egger's tests (t = 1.195, p = 0.259) revealed no evidence of publication bias. Sensitivity analysis confirmed yielded results. Meta-regression analysis evidenced that the difference in TAPSE between the two groups was only influenced by pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, p = 0.02).

COVID-19 non-survivors have a lower TAPSE when compared to survivors, especially in COPD subjects. Current data suggest that the TAPSE assessment may provide useful information regarding the short-term prognosis of COVID-19 patients during the infection.