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Echocardiography in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Era: A Single Tool for Diagnosis and Prognosis
Caterina Oriana Aragona1, Gianluca Bagnato1, Simona Tomeo1
1Department of Emergency, Unit of Emergency Mecicine, AOU Policlinico "G.Martino", University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Insights
Echocardiography can predict prognosis and mortality in COVID-19 patients. This review explores its utility in assessing cardiac function and its relationship with respiratory disease severity.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) frequently involves multiple organs, including the heart and lungs.
- Echocardiography is a valuable, accessible tool for assessing cardiac structure and function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the prognostic and mortality predictive utility of echocardiography in COVID-19 patients.
- To assess echocardiography's role in predicting respiratory involvement evolution.
- To explore the link between pulmonary and cardiac manifestations in COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on echocardiography in COVID-19 patients.
- Analysis of classical echocardiographic parameters and speckle tracking techniques.
- Exploration of the relationship between respiratory and cardiac disease.
Main Results:
- Echocardiography parameters can predict prognosis and mortality in COVID-19.
- Speckle tracking may help predict the course of respiratory illness.
- A correlation exists between pulmonary disease severity and cardiac manifestations.
Conclusions:
- Echocardiography is a key tool for managing COVID-19 patients, aiding in prognosis and risk stratification.
- Further research into cardiac-pulmonary interactions in COVID-19 is warranted.
Abstract:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by multi-organ involvement, including respiratory and cardiac events. Echocardiography is widely considered the first-choice tool for the evaluation of cardiac structures and function because of its reproducibility, feasibility, easy to use at bedside, and for good cost-effectiveness. The aim of our literature review is to define the utility of echocardiography in the prediction of prognosis and mortality in COVID-19 patients with mild to critical respiratory illness, with or without known cardiovascular disease. Moreover, we focused our attention on classical echocardiographic parameters and the use of speckle tracking to predict the evolution of respiratory involvement. Finally, we tried to explore the possible relationship between pulmonary disease and cardiac manifestations.
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