Key result
Prior COVID-19 is linked to ~15% higher LV mass and reduced resting GLS in healthy individuals.
Why the study?
It remained uncertain to what extent COVID-19 affects the heart in healthy individuals, motivating an evaluation of its effect on cardiac structure and function in middle-aged and older individuals.
Does a history of COVID-19 affect cardiac structure and function in healthy middle-aged and older individuals?
Observational (n=124)
No
Does a history of COVID-19 affect cardiac structure and function in healthy middle-aged and older individuals?
A history of COVID-19 in otherwise healthy middle-aged and older individuals is associated with subclinical adverse cardiac structural and functional remodeling, including increased left ventricular mass and reduced global longitudinal strain.
Subclinical LV changes post-COVID merit prospective confirmation; leaves open clinical relevance in healthy adults.
BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic in 2019. It remains uncertain to what extent COVID-19 effects the heart in heathy individuals. To evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 on cardiac structure and function in middle-aged and older individuals. METHODS: A single-centre prospective observational study enroled a total of 124 participants (84 with history of COVID-19 [COVID-19 group] and 40 without a history of COVID-19 [non-COVID group]). All participants underwent echocardiography with speckle tracking to assess cardiac structure and function at rest and during peak exercise. RESULTS: There were no differences in left and right ventricular diastolic function (p ≥ 0.05) between the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups. Participants in COVID-19 group demonstrated higher left ventricular mass (130 ± 39.8 vs. 113 ± 27.2 g, p = 0.008) and relative wall thickness (0.38 ± 0.07 vs. 0.36 ± 0.13, p = 0.049). Left ventricular global longitudinal strain was reduced in the COVID-19 group at rest and at peak-exercise (rest: 18.3 ± 2.01 vs. 19.3 ± 1.53%, p = 0.004; peak exercise: 19.1 ± 2.20 vs. 21.0 ± 1.58%, p ≤ 0.001). However, no difference was seen in resting left ventricular ejection fraction (58 ± 2.89 vs. 59 ± 2.51%, p = 0.565) between groups. Right ventricular fractional area change was reduced in the COVID-19 group (p = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Cardiac structural and functional remodelling was observed in middle-aged and older otherwise healthy individuals with a history of COVID-19.
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Rahman et al. (2024) conducted an observational in COVID-19 (n=124). History of COVID-19 vs. No history of COVID-19 was evaluated on Cardiac structure and function at rest and during peak exercise assessed by echocardiography with speckle tracking. History of COVID-19 in healthy individuals was associated with higher left ventricular mass (130 vs 113 g, p=0.008) and reduced resting global longitudinal strain (18.3% vs 19.3%, p=0.004).
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