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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
- 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