Evaluation of the right and left ventricular functions of patients that recovered from COVID‑19 at home

Abstract

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infection that can involve various systems and organs, as well as the cardiovascular system. There are several reports in the literature on cardiac involvement in COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized. Therefore, the current research was designed to determine whether cardiac involvement occurred in COVID-19 patients at home. Methods: The current research included 30 patients with a positive COVID-19 PCR test but no hospitalization and recovery at home, and also 30 healthy volunteers. All participants underwent routine and transthoracic echocardiographic exams. The left and right ventricular diameters and functions were examined using two-dimensional echocardiography. M-mode imaging was used to assess tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE). In addition, the tissue Doppler images of the patients were recorded. Results: In the COVID-19 group, 53% of the patients were male, and the mean age was 35.6 years (±7.6). The control group consisted of 57% males, and the mean age was 35.1 years (±6.9). The right and left ventricular diameters, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and TAPSE and MAPSE values were similar in the two groups. In both groups, the tricuspid lateral annular systolic velocity (S’ tricuspid) values were in the normal reference range. However, the S’ tricuspid value was statistically lower in the COVID-19 group than in the control group (13 [14-11] vs. 14 [15-13]; p=0.010). Conclusion: In this study, cardiac functions did not significantly differ between patients with mild COVID-19 infection and the control group.

Keywords

• Coronavirus disease 2019
• home recovery
• cardiac involvement
• ventricular function

References

1. 1.Görmeli Kurt N, Çamcı M. COVID-19 and OtherViral Pneumonias. Dicle Med J. 2021; 48: 40-46.
2. 2.Kwenandar F, Japar KV, Damay V, et al.Coronavirus disease 2019 and cardiovascularsystem: A narrative review. Int J Cardiol Heart Vasc.2020; 29: 100557.
3. 3.Chang WT, Toh HS, Liao CT, et al. CardiacInvolvement of COVID-19: A ComprehensiveReview. Am J Med Sci. 2021; 361: 14-22.
4. 4.Dweck MR, Bularga A, Hahn RT, et al. Globalevaluation of echocardiography in patients withCOVID-19. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2020; 21:949-58.
5. 5.Szekely Y, Lichter Y, Taieb P, et al. Spectrum ofCardiac Manifestations in COVID-19: A SystematicEchocardiographic Study. Circulation. 2020; 142:342-53.