Reduced Circumferential Strain in Athletes with Prior COVID-19.
Radiol Cardiothorac Imaging 2022;
4:e210310. [PMID:
35996735 PMCID:
PMC9387168 DOI:
10.1148/ryct.210310]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
To characterize global and segmental circumferential systolic strain (CS)
measured by cardiac MRI in athletes after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Materials and Methods
This retrospective observational cohort study included 188 soldiers and
collegiate athletes referred for cardiac MRI after SARS-CoV-2 infection
(C19+) between July 2020 and February 2021 and a control group of 72
soldiers, collegiate, and high school athletes who underwent cardiac MRI
from May 2019 to February 2020, prior to the first SARS-CoV-2 case
detected in our region (C19-). Global and segmental CS were measured by
feature tracking, then compared between each group using unadjusted and
multivariable- adjusted models. Acute myocarditis was diagnosed
according to the modified Lake Louise criteria and the location of
pathologic late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was ascertained.
Results
Among the 188 C19+ athletes (median age, 25 years [IQR, 23-30]; 131 men),
the majority had mild illness. Global CS significantly differed between
C19+ and C19- groups, with a median of -24.0 (IQR -25.8, -21.4) versus.
-25.0 (-28.0, -22.4), respectively (p = .009). This difference in CS
persisted following adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, heart
rate, and systolic blood pressure β coefficient 1.29 [95% CI:
0.20, 2.38], p = .02). In segmental analysis, the basal- and mid-
inferoseptal, septal and inferolateral segments were significantly
different (p < .05), which had a higher frequency of post-COVID
late gadolinium enhancement. The global and segmental differences were
similar after exclusion of athletes with myocarditis.
Conclusion
Among athletes, SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with a small but
statistically significant reduced CS.
Collapse