Key result
In patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, right heart abnormalities were the most common echocardiographic finding (51.1%), though they did not significantly correlate with inflammatory markers or predict mortality.
Why the study?
COVID-19 causes a wide range of cardiac complications and ECHO findings, highlighting a need to better understand interactions between COVID-19 and cardiac functions.
Observational (n=86)
No
In patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, right ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension are common echocardiographic findings, though they do not independently predict mortality or correlate with inflammatory markers.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Prevalent right heart abnormalities in severe COVID-19 lack correlation with inflammation or mortality; leaves open their prognostic value and requires prospective validation.
Background: Whilst the COVID-19 predominantly affects the respiratory tract, it is also observed to cause a wide range of cardiac complications. Accordingly, the ECHO findings range from specific regional wall motion abnormalities to different degrees of global cardiac dysfunction. Thus, there is a need to better understand the interactions between COVID-19 and the cardiac functions.Methods: In this retrospective observational study, 86 subjects admitted with severe COVID-19 pneumonia were considered. Those with pre-existing heart-diseases were excluded. The ECHO parameters were assessed as right heart or left heart abnormalities; they were correlated with Inflammatory markers.Results: Right heart abnormality was the most common finding (51.1%). 23% had combined right and left heart abnormalities, 4.6% had left heart abnormality, rest 21% had a normal 2D-ECHO findings. 55.8% had evidence of pulmonary hypertension. RV dilatation and dysfunction is associated with a pro-thrombotic, inflammatory state reflected by elevation of CRP and D-dimer levels; however, these ECHO findings did not correlate with increase in marker levels (p=0.227, >0.05).Conclusions: RV dysfunction is more common than LV dysfunction among COVID-19 patients. 2D-ECHO findings may serve as a useful guide in optimization and modification of treatment strategies in critically ill COVID-19 patients, but are not independent predictors of mortality (p=0.09, >0.05).
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B. et al. (2022) conducted an observational in Severe COVID-19 pneumonia (n=86). Severe COVID-19 pneumonia was evaluated on Correlation of echocardiographic findings with inflammatory marker levels (p=0.227). In patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, right heart abnormalities were the most common echocardiographic finding (51.1%), though they did not significantly correlate with inflammatory markers or predict mortality.
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