Strain Echocardiography in Acute COVID-19 and Post-COVID Syndrome: More than Just a Snapshot

Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) has become an established, widely available diagnostic method in the past few years, making its value clear in cases of COVID-19 and the further course of the disease, including post-COVID syndrome. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many studies have been published on the use of STE in this condition, enabling, on the one hand, a better understanding of myocardial involvement in COVID-19 and, on the other, a better identification of risk to patients, although some questions remain unanswered in regard to specific pathomechanisms, especially in post-COVID patients. This review takes a closer look at current findings and potential future developments by summarising the extant data on the use of STE, with a focus on left and right ventricular longitudinal strain.

Automated summary

Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) has become an established and widely available diagnostic method, showing its value in COVID-19 cases and post-COVID syndrome. Many studies have been conducted on the use of STE in COVID-19, providing a better understanding of myocardial involvement and risk identification. This review summarizes the current findings on STE, particularly focusing on left and right ventricular longitudinal strain, and discusses potential future developments.