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Cardiologic Manifestations in OmicronâType Versus WildâType COVIDâ19: A Systematic Echocardiographic Study
Background Information about the cardiac manifestations of the Omicron variant of COVIDâ19 is limited. We performed a systematic prospective echocardiographic evaluation of consecutive patients hospitalized with the Omicron variant of COVIDâ19 infection and compared them with similarly recruited patients were propensity matched with the wildâtype variant. Methods and Results A total of 162 consecutive patients hospitalized with Omicron COVIDâ19 underwent complete echocardiographic evaluation within 24âhours of admission and were compared with propensityâmatched patients with the wildâtype variant (148 pairs). Echocardiography included left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic, right ventricular (RV), strain, and hemodynamic assessment. Echocardiographic parameters during acute infection were compared with historic exams in 62 patients with the Omicron variant and 19 patients with the wildâtype variant who had a previous exam within 1 year. Of the patients, 85 (53%) had a normal echocardiogram. The most common cardiac pathology was RV dilatation and dysfunction (33%), followed by elevated LV filling pressure (E/eâČ â„14, 29%) and LV systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction <50%, 10%). Compared with the matched wildâtype cohort, patients with Omicron had smaller RV endâsystolic areas (9.3±4 versus 12.3±4âcm2; P=0.0003), improved RV function (RV fractionalâarea change, 53.2%±10% versus 39.7%±13% [P<0.0001]; RV SâČ, 12.0±3 versus 10.7±3âcm/s [P=0.001]), and higher stroke volume index (35.6 versus 32.5âmL/m2; P=0.004), all possibly related to lower mean pulmonary pressure (34.6±12 versus 41.1±14âmmâHg; P=0.0001) and the pulmonary vascular resistance index (P=0.0003). LV systolic or diastolic parameters were mostly similar to the wildâtype variantâmatched cohort apart from larger LV size. However, in patients who had a previous echocardiographic exam, these LV abnormalities were recorded before acute Omicron infection, but not in the wildâtype cohort. Numerous echocardiographic parameters were associated with higher inâhospital mortality (LV ejection fraction, stroke volume index, E/eâČ, RV SâČ). Conclusions In patients with Omicron, RV function is impaired to a lower extent compared with the wildâtype variant, possibly related to the attenuated pulmonary parenchymal and/or vascular disease. LV systolic and diastolic abnormalities are as common as in the wildâtype variant but were usually recorded before acute infection and probably reflect background cardiac morbidity. Numerous LV and RV abnormalities are associated with adverse outcome in patients with Omicron