Detection of Subclinical Myocardial Dysfunction by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Young Adults recovered from mild COVID-19

Background: COVID-19 is capable of inducing myocardial injury even after mild infections. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) offers a sensitive assessment of myocardial strain, which serves as an early indicator of cardiac dysfunction.Aim and Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of STE in detecting subclinical myocardial dysfunction in young adults who have recovered from mild COVID-19, in comparison to healthy control subjects.Patients and Methods: The study involved 25 patients aged between 18 and 40 years who had recovered from mild COVID-19 and 25 age-matched healthy controls. Both groups underwent comprehensive echocardiographic evaluations, including STE, to analyze longitudinal strain.Results: While conventional echocardiographic evaluations showed no significant differences between the groups, LV GLS was notably lower in the COVID-19 group (-24.8%) compared to the controls (-26.5%). This reduction in LV GLS, identified solely through STE, suggests myocardial dysfunction. COVID-19 is an independent predictor of reduced LV GLS after adjusting for potential confounding factors.Conclusion: STE is effective in identifying subclinical left ventricular dysfunction that standard echocardiography may overlook in individuals who have recovered from mild COVID-19. STE is superior in detecting these subtle yet significant changes, highlighting its value in post-COVID-19 cardiac assessment.