Galectin-3 and Its Relationship With Left Ventricular and Left Atrial Echocardiographic Changes in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Galectin-3 has been recognized as a biomarker of inflammation and fibrosis in COVID-19, yet its association with echocardiographic indicators of cardiac involvement remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to assess the relationship between galectin-3 levels and echocardiographic changes of the left ventricle and left atrium in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 41 adults who were divided into moderately symptomatic patients (21/41, 51.2%; within the first week of symptom onset) and severely symptomatic patients (20/41, 48.8%; during the second to third week). All patients underwent standard laboratory testing, including galectin-3 measurement, and transthoracic echocardiography upon admission. Galectin-3 levels were significantly higher in the severe group compared with the moderate group (13.7 ± 7.9 ng/mL vs. 8.7 ± 6.2 ng/mL; p = 0.029). Severe illness was also associated with a larger ascending aortic diameter (p = 0.041) and greater left atrial size (p = 0.05). Although interventricular septal thickness, posterior wall thickness, and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter were similar between groups, left ventricular end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and left ventricular mass were higher in severe cases, but these differences did not reach statistical significance. Left ventricular ejection fraction remained normal in moderate cases and was mildly reduced in severe cases without a statistically significant difference. Galectin-3 demonstrated significant correlations with several echocardiographic markers, most notably left atrial diameter and indices of left ventricular structure and function. These findings suggest that elevated galectin-3 levels are associated with structural myocardial changes in COVID-19. Combined assessment of galectin-3 and echocardiographic parameters may aid in identifying early myocardial involvement and improving cardiovascular risk stratification in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.