BACKGROUND
Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) can lead to severe respiratory distress and acute cardiac injury, but it is unclear how often it can cause cardiac dysfunction.


OBJECTIVE
In this systematic review, we aimed to summarize the main echocardiographic findings in patients with Covid-19.


METHODS
We systematically searched in PUBMED, EMBASE, LILACS and Cochrane databases, in addition MedRxiv and Scielo preprints from inception to July 21st, 2021. Studies reporting echocardiographic data in patients with Covid-19 were included. Demographic characteristics, previous cardiovascular disease (CVD), and echocardiographic findings were extracted. We performed a meta-analysis of proportions to estimate the main echocardiographic findings. The level of significance was p < 0.05.


RESULTS
From 11,233 studies, 38 fulfilled inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The estimated proportions of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction were 25% (95%CI: 19, 31; I293%), abnormal global longitudinal strain 34% (95% CI 23, 45; I290%), righ ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction 17% (95%CI 13, 21; I290%), pericardial effusion 17% (95%CI: 9, 26; I297%), and pulmonary hypertension 23% (95%CI: 15, 33, I2 96%). LV systolic dysfunction was directly associated with study-specific prevalence of previous abnormal echocardiogram (p<0.001). The proportion of patients in mechanical ventilation, indicating severity of disease, did not explain the heterogeneity in the proportions of LV dysfunction (p=0.37).


CONCLUSION
Among hospitalized patients with Covid-19, LV dysfunction has been reported in one quarter, with smaller proportions of right ventricular dysfunction, pericardial effusion and pulmonary hypertension. However, there was a higher proportion of LV dysfunction among studies reporting the presence of prior heart disease, which suggests that cardiac dysfunction was mostly pre-existing.

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Abnormal Echocardiographic Findings in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Abstract More than 91,000 fatalities due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have occurred in Spain. Several factors are associated with increased mortality in this disease, including cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF). However, information on the cardiac function of patients prior to the onset of COVID-19 is scarce and the potential impact it may have is uncertain. The aim of the EchoVID study was to describe the potential association between CVRF and cardiac function status prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection and in-hospital mortality. We studied clinical characteristics and cardiac function of patients admitted during the first wave of COVID-19. All patients had a transthoracic echocardiogram performed in the previous 12 months prior to diagnosis; conventional systolic and diastolic function parameters were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality. We included 296 individuals. Median age was higher in the group of patients who died (81.0 vs 76.1 years; p = 0.007). No significant differences were found in CVRF. Survivors were more frequently receiving anticoagulation therapy (52.9% vs 70.8%; p = 0.003). LVEF, although preserved on average in both groups, was significantly lower in the group of deceased patients (56.9% vs 61.1%; p = 0.017). Average E/e′ ratio was higher in the deceased group (11.1 vs 10.1; p = 0.049). Five variables were found to be independently associated with in-hospital mortality due to COVID-19: Age, male gender, LVEF, E/e′ ratio and anticoagulation therapy. A model including these variables had an area under the ROC curve of 0.756 (CI 0.669–0.843). The echocardiographic variables included in the model significantly improved the discriminative power, compared to a model including only demographic data. Left ventricular ejection fraction and E/e′ ratio prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection are two easily-obtained echocardiographic parameters that provide additional prognostic information over clinical factors when assessing patients admitted for SARS-CoV-2 infection. 

/pdf/impact-of-previous-cardiac-function-status-assessed-by-2tmc1373.pdf

Impact of previous cardiac function status assessed by echocardiography on the outcome of COVID-19

Abstract We analyzed the clinical condition of patients with COVID-19 of varying severity, changes in instrumental and laboratory parameters, and assessed the impact of the severity of the course of a new coronavirus infection on the outcomes of acute coronary syndrome.AIM OF STUDY To study the mutual influence of acute coronary syndrome and the new coronavirus infection COVID-19 on the nature of the course and outcomes of the disease.Materia l and methods In March 21, 2020 – May 31, 2021, 3 625 patients were treated for COVID-19, including 131 patients with acute coronary syndrome due to COVID-19 disease. All patients underwent a number of studies: computed tomography of the chest, electrocardiography, echocardiography, monitoring of biomarkers of myocardial damage, diagnostic coronary angiography and, if necessary, intracoronary therapeutic intervention.Results Data on the distribution of patients with COVID-19 according to the presence or absence of ST segment elevation on the electrocardiogram and the degree of lung tissue damage, as well as information on mortality in these groups, are presented. The role of troponin I in the assessment of myocardial ischemia was analyzed. The direct dependence of its level on the volume of lung damage was found. The inverse relationship was shown between the degree of damage to the lung tissue and the indices of oxygen saturation in the blood. A poor prognostic value of low left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with COVID-19 disease has been described.Conclusions The development of acute coronary syndrome in the course of COVID-19 significantly worsens the prognosis of the disease, which requires the development of algorithms for providing medical care to patients in this category, as well as maximum vigilance in their treatment.

Peter G. Pantlin

Papers

Impact of Preinfection Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction on Outcomes in COVID-19 Infection.