Echocardiographic findings in covid-19 patients admitted to the hospital

Introduction: Cardiac abnormalities are frequently found in COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. The purpose of this study was to describe echocardiographic findings in COVID-19 patients admitted with elevated troponin levels. Methods: Retrospective study of adult patients admitted to our hospital with COVID-19 from March 2020 to February 2022. Troponin I was obtained on all admitted patients and levels ≥0.04 ng/mL were included. Echocardiographic findings were analyzed and past medical history was reviewed. Descriptive statistics Chi-Square, and Kruskal-Wallis H tests were used. Results: 186 patients were included. Age was 63 [50-75] years. 70 (37.6%) patients were female. The median Troponin I level was 0.095 ng/mL [0.053-0.329]. 4 (2.2%) patients had a history of myocardial Infarction, 89 (47.8%) patients had chronic hypertension, 10 (5.4%) had a history of congestive heart failure, and 14 (7.6%) patients had chronic kidney disease. 173 (93%) of these patients had echocardiography. Ejection fraction (EF) >50% was found in 135 (72.6%), EF 40-50% in 14 (7.5%), and less than 40% in 24 (12.9%) of the patients. Mortality for the patients that had EF >50% was 61 (45.5%), EF between 40-50% mortality was 6 (42%), and for EF < 40% was 10 (41%). (x2(2) = 0.145, p = 0.93). Patients with EF >50% had a length of stay (LOS) of 9 [5-19] days, patients with EF between 40-50% 13 [6.2-23] days, and patients with EF < 40% LOS of 8 [5-18.2] days. (H(2) = 1.532, p = 0.46). Other findings reported in echocardiograms were ventricular or atrial enlargement in 73 (39.2%) of cases, 5 (2.7%) endocarditis, 4 (2.2%) myocarditis, 8 (4.3%) pericarditis, 5 (2.7%) findings compatible with pulmonary embolism (PE), 30 (16.1%) had pulmonary hypertension and 21 (11.3%) pleural effusion. Conclusions: Abnormal ejection fraction findings in patients with COVID-19 are not associated with increased mortality or length of hospitalized stay.