COVID-19 heart problems can last for months as studies show

The following is a summary of some of the latest scientific research on the new coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for the virus-induced disease COVID-19.

COVID-19 heart problems may remain apparent after months

Researchers have found that signs of heart damage in hospitalized COVID-19 patients may be a precursor to longer-lasting heart problems. They investigated 148 survivors of severe COVID-19 with high troponin levels (a protein released when the heart is damaged) during hospitalization.

On average two months after they were discharged, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) still in 48% of patients, including heart attack, myocardial inflammation, inadequate blood flow, or any combination of these problems. Showed a heart problem. Reported in the European Heart Journal on Thursday. Two-thirds of patients with a heart attack or inadequate cardiac blood flow had no history of coronary artery disease.

If you have been infected with COVID-19, be aware of the symptoms even after the test result is negative. Complications after COVID can cause heart problems, especially in women. Talk to your doctor if you have shortness of breath or pain in your neck or abdomen. https://t.co/9Mstqn2icQ

— Dr. Nieca Goldberg (@DrNieca) February 15, 2021

“Ultimately, the association between the abnormalities detected by these cardiovascular magnetic resonance scans and acute COVID-19 infection cannot be clearly established,” the authors say. However, the high prevalence of abnormalities “suggests possible links.”

Dr. Matthew Toomey, Cardiac ICU Director at Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in New York City, who was not involved in the study, said: He added that he was cautiously optimistic that most patients would not suffer from heart failure.

Samsung smartphone oxymeter may help COVID-19.

Researchers say the Samsung S9 and S10 smartphone devices that measure oxygen levels in the blood meet the standards of the US Food and Drug Administration and can be used to monitor COVID-19 patients.

Oxygen saturation is usually monitored with a device called a pulse oximeter that clips to your finger. Decreased levels may indicate a serious illness and the need for intervention. Pulse oximeters used in hospitals are expensive and the accuracy of cheaper versions sold in drug stores varies. Researchers said in a report posted to medRxiv on Thursday prior to peer review.

The phones they studied have a built-in pulse oximeter, and their unique Samsung algorithm for interpreting signals is “very good,” said Sarah Brown, co-author of the University of California, San Diego. .. “We are not aware of other smartphones with clinical grade pulse oximetry. Samsung has done a great job in this regard,” she said.

Samsung dropped the sensor from its cell phone in 2020 and 2021, Brown said. “As healthcare professionals, we want to see them put back,” she added. Her team estimates that over 100 million S9 and S10 phones are still in circulation and said they could be particularly useful in countries where access to accurate pulse oximetry is restricted. (Https://bit.ly/3sdQESD)

PTSD often follows severe COVID-19

An Italian doctor interviewing survivors of COVID-19 within four months of diagnosis found that one in three suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Their study included 381 adult survivors, about 80% of whom were hospitalized.

In addition to PTSD, it was found in 30% of study participants, and other psychiatric problems include depression episodes (diagnosed in 17%) and generalized anxiety, according to a report published Thursday at JAMA Psychiatry. Disability (7%) was included.

Patients with PTSD are likely to be female, have delirium or agitation during hospitalization, and suffer from persistent COVID-19 symptoms. Researchers noted that they could not determine if PTSD was more common after COVID-19 because they studied only patients in a single hospital and did not compare them to patients with other serious illnesses. I am.

However, they state that the prevalence of PTSD in patients is “consistent with the findings reported after other types of mass traumatic events.”

(Report by Nancy Rapid and Linda Carroll, edited by Bill Berklot)

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