Key result
The majority of patients with post-COVID syndrome showed normal cardiac function, while only a small subgroup (4%) with severe functional impairment exhibited impaired global longitudinal strain and elevated cardiac biomarkers.
Why the study?
Patients with post-COVID syndrome are frequently referred for cardiologic evaluation, prompting an assessment of cardiac function and biomarkers in relation to functional status and fatigue.
Cohort (n=227)
No
Routine cardiologic evaluation in post-COVID syndrome may be low-yield unless patients have severe functional impairment or elevated troponin T.
Most PCS patients have normal cardiac function; leaves open whether routine echocardiography benefits milder cases beyond severe impairment or elevated troponin.
Patients with Post-COVID syndrome (PCS) are frequently referred for cardiologic evaluation. We assessed cardiac function and biomarkers in relation to functional status and fatigue in patients with PCS. This prospective single-center cohort study included 227 patients with persisting symptoms after COVID-19 infection. Most frequent complaints were fatigue (70%), dyspnea (56%), neurocognitive symptoms (34%) and chest pain (28%). Standardized questionnaires were used to assess Post-COVID-Functional-Scale (PCFS) and fatigue (MFI-20). The fatigue severity was inversely related to age and did not correlate with cardiovascular diseases, echocardiographic findings, or biomarkers. Similarly, mild to moderate functional impairment (PCFS 1-3) did not correlate with cardiovascular alterations. However, the subgroup of patients with significant functional impairment (PCFS = 4) had more frequent cardiovascular comorbidities, biomarkers and impaired global longitudinal strain (GLS). Patients with elevated troponin T showed abnormal GLS, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and impaired tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion. The majority of patients with PCS shows a normal cardiac function. Only the small subgroup of patients with severe functional impairment and patients with elevated troponin T is at risk for impaired cardiac function and likely to benefit from specialized care by a cardiologist.
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Baum et al. (2022) conducted a cohort in Post-COVID syndrome (PCS) (n=227). Severe functional impairment (PCFS 4) vs. Mild to moderate functional impairment (PCFS 0-3) was evaluated on Correlation of cardiac function (echocardiographic parameters and biomarkers) with functional status and fatigue. The majority of patients with post-COVID syndrome showed normal cardiac function, while only a small subgroup (4%) with severe functional impairment exhibited impaired global longitudinal strain and elevated cardiac biomarkers.
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