Evaluation of Chest Pain and Dyspnea Symptoms Using Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography in Patients Recovering from COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Objectives: At present, clinicians face plenty of patients complaining of post-COVID-19 chest pain and dyspnea. However, it remains to be seen if these symptoms indicate pathology of the cardiovascular system. We aimed to evaluate heart functions in outpatients with post-COVID-19 chest pain and dyspnea, using 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). Method(s) This cross-sectional study recruited consecutive patients who presented to cardiology outpatient clinics between June 15, 2021, and July 15, 2021. A total of 78 patients had recovered from COVID-19 1-2 months before admission were included in the study. ECG and echocardiography, including 2D-STE images, were obtained for all patients. Findings were compared with sex- and an age-matched control group of 67 healthy adults. Result(s) The median age was 38 (IQR, 34-45) years, and 64.1% were female. There were no significant differences between the patients and control group regarding laboratory, ECG, and echocardiography findings. Moreover, the left ventricle global longitudinal strain measurements in both the patient and control groups were within the normal ranges and did not show a significant difference (-20.5 [-21.8- -17.9] vs. -19.8 [-21.4-18.9], p=0.894). Conclusion(s) Post-COVID-19 chest pain and dyspnea are unlikely signs of cardiovascular involvement in outpatient young adults who have not been hospitalized with COVID-19.©Copyright 2022 by The Cardiovascular Thoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care.