Aim of the study:To evaluate the presence and severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients who recently recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 . Material and methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, patients who had recovered from COVID-19 were assessed between February and April 2021. The symptoms reported by patients were evaluated using a questionnaire developed by the authors based on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to assess their depressive symptoms and anxiety. Results: Of the 102 patients, 45 (44%) were men, and the mean age (± standard deviation -SD) was 52 ±13 years. The mean time interval (±SD) between COVID-19 diagnosis and the examination was 56 ±18 days. Seventy-eight (76%) patients were treated at home, while 24 (23.5%) were hospitalized. Fatigue, cognitive impairment ("brain fog"), breathlessness, and cough were the most frequently reported complaints. Median scores of the BDI, state-anxiety (STAI 1) and trait-anxiety (STAI 2) were 7 (interquartile range, IQR = 10), 38 (IQR = 13), and 40.5 (IQR = 14), respectively. Mild depressive symptoms were observed in almost 30% of patients. Women scored significantly higher than men. Conclusions: Patients who have recently recovered from COVID-19 show increased anxiety and depressive symptoms, the intensity of which was more pronounced in women. From the clinical perspective, physicians should be aware of the anxiety and depressive symptoms of the post-COVID-19 syndrome. Depression and anxiety in patients recently recovered from coronavirus disease (COVID-19)Objawy depresji i lęku u pacjentów po przebyciu choroby koronawirusowej

In patients with HFrEF, improvement in exercise capacity in response to the addition of spironolactone to treatment is more evident in the presence of diabetes, decreased renal function and lower BNP, and improvement in GLS is a contributor to this beneficial effect of MRA.

We aimed to compare therapies of sacubitril/valsartan + spironolactone (S/V + S) with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors + spironolactone (ACEI + S) on the left-sided cardiac reverse remodeling (L-CRR). The second objective was to analyze the usefulness of GLS and LVEF in response to therapy.Methods78 patients (mean age 63.4 years, 20 females) with symptomatic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction were randomized to groups of equal numbers, i.e., 39 patients, and started on therapy of S/V + S or ACEI + S. Second evaluations were made after 6–8 weeks of therapy.ResultsGLS changed from −7.4% to −9.4% (18% improvement) in both arms equally. More than 50% of patients, initially with very severe systolic dysfunction (GLS > −8%), were reclassified to severe (GLS −8% to −12%). LVEF did not improve in any of the groups. The quality of life measured by MLHFQ and walking distance by 6-MWT increased. Positive correlations between GLS and 6MWT (r = 0.41, p = 0.02) and GLS and MHFLQ (r = 0.42, p = 0.03) were found. The S/V + S subgroup demonstrated improvements in LVEDV (Δ16.7 vs. 4.5 ml), E/e ratio (Δ 2.8 vs. 1.4), and LAVI (Δ 9.4 vs. 8.4 ml/m2) as compared to ACEI + S.ConclusionGLS, unlike LVEF, detects early changes in LV systolic function after 6–8 weeks of combined therapy, i.e., SV + S and ACE + S. GLS is more useful than LVEF in assessing early response to treatment. The effect of S/V + S and ACEI + S on LV systolic function was comparable, but the improvement in diastolic function as expressed by E/e’, LAVI, and LVEDV was more pronounced with S/V + S.

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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become the most critical healthcare issue worldwide since the pandemic was announced in March 2020. Although respiratory symptoms remain the critical characteristic feature of COVID-19 (with acute respiratory syndrome as the leading cause of mortality), the disease also affects other organs. In fact, the involvement of the cardiovascular system during COVID-19 may include acute coronary symptoms, acute heart failure and myocarditis, arrhythmias, cardiac tamponade, pulmonary embolism, and right ventricular failure due to a high-pressure mechanical ventilation. It is vital to note that all of the abovementioned disorders require specific, pandemic-adapted imaging algorithms. This brief review aims to discuss different cardiac imaging modalities to demonstrate their effectiveness in managing patients in the acute phase of COVID-19.