Evaluation of testicles by sonoelastography in men recovering after Covid-19 disease.

INTRODUCTION: Testicular cells, seminiferous tubule cells, spermatogonia, Leydig and Sertoli cells showing angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 expression have the potential to be targets and to be damaged by the coronavirus. We aimed to use Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography (2D-SWE) as an effective technique to identify parenchymal damage in the testicles of patients recovering from COVID-19 infection. METHODS: 35 Male patients (group 1) who recovered after COVID-19 infection between 4 and 12 weeks were included in this prospective study. Before 2D-SWE, these male patients were confirmed with control Rt-PCR test negativity. In addition, the first Rt-PCR test positivity of these patients was confirmed. A control group was formed of 31 healthy subjects (group 2). These two groups were compared in terms of age, volume of each testis, and SWE values. Ultrasound including SWE was applied to all the testes. A total of 9 measurements were taken as 3 SWE measurements from each third of the testis (superior, mid, inferior) and the average of these was calculated. Data obtained in the study were analyzed statistically. A value of p < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean SWE values for the right testis and the left testis were determined to be statistically significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2, respectively (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is an increase in testicular stiffness in males who have recovered from COVID-19 infection. The underlying cause of testicular damage is changes at the cellular level. The 2D-SWE technique can predict potential testicular parenchymal damage in male patients recovering from COVID-19 infection. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography (2D-SWE) seems to be a promising imaging technique in the evaluation of testis parenchyma.

Point shear wave velocity(pSWV) evaluation of the placenta of pregnant women who had recovered from COVID-19: A prospective cohort study from a tertiary pandemic center.

INTRODUCTION: To assess the placental elasticity using point shear wave velocity (pSWV) in pregnant women who had recovered from coronavirus COVID-19. METHODS: A total of 40 pregnant women who had recovered from moderate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and 40 healthy pregnant women were included in this study. We evaluated placental elasticity by using transabdominal pSWV method. Three measurements were made, and their average was accepted as the mean placental velocity value in each case. The results were compared between the post-COVID-19 and control groups. RESULTS: The mean pSWV values were significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 group compared to the control group, indicating that the women with a history of COVID-19 had stiffer placentas. Furthermore, the pSWV values were significantly and positively correlated with the uterine artery pulsatility index. We also found that the NICU requirement was statistically higher in the post-COVID 19 group. DISCUSSION: The pregnant women who had recovered from COVID-19 had rigid placentas than the healthy controls. The use of pSWV for the assessment of placental velocity may provide valuable information in the diagnosis and management of post-COVID-19 patients as a complementary tool to the existing ultrasonography methods.

Liver stiffness by transient elastography accompanies illness severity in COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: Severe liver damage is associated with worse outcome in COVID-19. Our aim was to explore the degree of liver damage, liver stiffness (LS) and severity of illness in patients with COVID-19. DESIGN: We investigated 32 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the University Hospital of Innsbruck in a prospective cross-sectional study. We performed laboratory testing, liver and spleen sonography and elastography to measure organ stiffness. RESULTS: 12 patients (38%) showed elevated aminotransferases and gamma-glutamyltransferase levels. LS was positively correlated with elevated aminotransferase levels in patients with COVID-19 compared with those without elevated enzymes. Even mild liver damage raised LS significantly in COVID-19 as it was in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. Furthermore, higher LS measurements were significantly associated with illness severity like pneumonia, need for mechanical ventilation, and even death. CONCLUSION: Transient elastography is a useful and non-invasive tool to assess onset and severity of acute liver injury in patients with COVID-19 patients. Increased LS seems to be predictive for a more severe and complicated course of disease.