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A Multidisciplinary Approach to Evaluate the Presence of Hepatic and Cardiac Abnormalities in Patients with Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome—A Pilot Study

Authors :
Felix Bende
Cristina Tudoran
Ioan Sporea
Renata Fofiu
Victor Bâldea
Radu Cotrău
Alina Popescu
Roxana Sirli
Bogdan Silviu Ungureanu
Mariana Tudoran
Source :
Journal of Clinical Medicine, Vol 10, Iss 11, p 2507 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

(1) Background: Patients suffering from the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) disease could experience several extra-pulmonary involvements, including cardiovascular complications and liver injury. This study aims to evaluate the presence of cardiac and liver alterations in patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and liver elastography (LE). (2) Methods: A total of 97 subjects recovering from COVID-19, attending the hospital’s specialized outpatient clinic for persisting symptoms at 3 to 11 weeks after the acute illness, were included in this study. They all had a basal COVID-19 assessment, and subsequently, a clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, TTE, and LE. (3) Results: considering the presence of pulmonary injury during COVID-19, patients were divided into two groups. Although none of them had altered systolic function, we evidenced pulmonary hypertension, diastolic dysfunction, increased liver stiffness, viscosity, and steatosis in around one-third of the patients, with significantly higher values in subjects with pulmonary injury compared to those without. (4) Conclusion: persisting symptoms characterizing the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome could be explained by residual cardiac and hepatic lesions, which were worse in more severe COVID-19 forms. These patients may be at risk of developing liver fibrosis and cardiac alterations and should be investigated in the first 12 weeks after the onset of the infection.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20770383
Volume :
10
Issue :
11
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.34807e91bcb497a87c6d45edf85ecee
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10112507