Introduction: Assessment of haemodynamic function provides valuable information regarding cardiovascular performance and can be used to guide diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiovascular disease. This study investigated the effects of COVID-19 on haemodynamic function in individuals with a history of COVID-19.
Methods: Eighty-four healthy individuals (mean age 60 ± 7 years, 55% were female) with history of confirmed COVID-19 infection; within the previous 18 months and 28 days post-infection, and 40 healthy individuals (mean age 63 ± 7 years, 63% were female) without history of COVID-19 were recruited. Cardiac haemodynamic measurements including heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO) was determined using echocardiography (Vivid IQ, GE Healthcare, USA) at rest and during peak exercise.
Results: There were no significant differences between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups for body mass index (26.9 ± 4.2 vs 26.5 ± 3.8 kg/m2, p = 0.59), body surface area (1.8 ± 0.21 vs 1.8 ± 0.22 m2, p = 0.217), resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures (systolic: 134 ± 17 vs 131 ± 17 mmHg, p = 0.392; diastolic: 83 ± 8 vs 81 ± 10 mmHg, p = 0.156), and HR, (62 ± 11 vs 60 ± 9 bpm, p = 0.880). At rest, participants in the COVID-19 group demonstrated significantly higher SV (77 ± 18 vs 66 ± 17 mL, p = 0.021) and CO (4.6 ± 1.1 vs 4.1 vs 0.8 L/min, p = 0.017) compared to the non-COVID group. At peak exercise, HR and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher in the COVID-19 than non-COVID-19 group (HR: 137 ± 23 vs 128 ± 17 bpm, p = 0.037; diastolic blood pressure: 93 ± 12 vs 85 ± 12 mmHg, p = 0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups in peak exercise systolic blood pressure (198 ± 28 vs 197 ± 27 mmHg, p = 0.974), cardiac output (15.1 ± 4.5 vs 16.3 ± 14.0, p = 0.487), or stroke volume (110 ± 31 vs 106 ± 31, p = 0.739).
Conclusion: Individuals with history of COVID-19 may demonstrate increased cardiac work at rest, as demonstrated with higher stroke volume and cardiac output, compared to individuals without history of COVID-19.