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Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study on Cardiovascular Involvement >60 Days Post COVID-19 Recovery
Nihar Mehta1, Tanushree Somir Banerjee2, Chandresh O Karnavat2
1Consultant, Department of Cardiology, Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Corresponding Author.
Insights
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) found no significant cardiac issues in most COVID-19 survivors. This suggests long COVID cardiovascular complications are less common in the Indian population.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Radiology
Background:
- Assesses cardiac manifestations in COVID-19 survivors at least 60 days post-recovery.
- Utilizes cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging with native T1, native T2, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) parameters.
- Investigates potential cardiac pathologies in individuals recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and characteristics of cardiac manifestations in long COVID using CMR.
- To evaluate long-term cardiovascular effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study involving 54 COVID-19 recovered patients and 50 healthy controls.
- CMR imaging performed using a 3 T scanner.
- Assessment of pathologies via native T1/T2 mapping and LGE imaging; data analyzed with SPSS version 23.
Main Results:
- Only 1 patient (1.85%) showed abnormalities (midmyocardial LGE, raised T1/T2 values).
- No significant differences in native T1/T2 values or LGE between recovered patients and controls.
- Mild concentric hypertrophy in six patients deemed incidental; no elevated troponin T levels observed.
Conclusions:
- CMR imaging revealed no significant increase in cardiac manifestations attributable to long COVID.
- Suggests lower incidence of cardiovascular comorbidities in the Indian population compared to Western literature.
- Findings are reassuring regarding long-term cardiovascular involvement post-SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Context:
This study evaluates individuals who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for cardiac manifestations at least 60 days postrecovery, using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Native T1, native T2, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) were used as parameters to detect potential cardiac pathologies.
Aim:
To study the incidence and nature of cardiac manifestations in long COVID using CMR.
Study Design:
Prospective observational study.
Methods:
A total of 54 COVID-19-recovered patients and 50 healthy matched controls (age- and sex-based) underwent CMR using a 3 T scanner. Pathologies were assessed through native T1 and T2 mapping and LGE imaging. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23.
Results:
Only 1 patient (1.85%) showed midmyocardial LGE in the basal and midinferior segments, along with raised native T1 and T2 values. The remaining 53 recovered patients (98.15%) revealed no LGE or elevated T1/T2 values compared to controls. Native T1 and T2 values did not significantly differ between the post-COVID participants and healthy controls. Mild concentric hypertrophy was observed in six patients, which appeared incidental and unrelated to COVID-19. None of the patients exhibited elevated troponin T levels.
Conclusion:
In this study, CMR imaging did not find a significant increase in cardiac manifestations that may be attributed to long COVID in patients who had recovered from COVID-19 compared with uninfected controls. We believe the incidence of cardiovascular comorbidities related to long COVID syndrome is much lower in the Indian population than reported in Western literature. These findings are reassuring and may help alleviate concerns among the Indian population regarding long-term cardiovascular involvement of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.
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