Can Global Longitudinal Strain Assess Asymptomatic Subtle Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Recovered COVID-19...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause multisystem inflammation, potentially affecting cardiac function.
• While often preserved, left ventricular (LV) function may exhibit subtle impairments post-COVID-19.
• Cytokine storms associated with COVID-19 are implicated in cardiac injury.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate subtle left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in COVID-19 survivors.
• To utilize global longitudinal strain (GLS) as a sensitive marker for LV dysfunction.
• To assess cardiac function in patients recently recovered from mild to moderate COVID-19.

Main Methods:

• A single-center observational study included 90 stable patients post-mild to moderate COVID-19.
• Transthoracic echocardiography was performed on all participants.
• Global longitudinal strain (GLS) was measured to evaluate LV function.

Main Results:

• All patients exhibited normal LV dimensions and ejection fractions.
• A significant proportion (33.3%) demonstrated subclinical LV dysfunction, indicated by reduced GLS.
• Reduced GLS correlated significantly with elevated troponin and C-reactive protein levels.

Conclusions:

• Mild to moderate COVID-19 infection can lead to subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.
• Reduced global longitudinal strain (GLS) is a key indicator of this post-COVID-19 cardiac alteration.
• Early detection of LV dysfunction using GLS may be crucial for managing cardiovascular sequelae.