Speckle-Tracking of Left Ventricle by Transesophageal Echocardiography
in a Patient with COVID-19
Abstract
A 68-year-old male presented with flu-like symptoms, fatigue, history of
obesity, hypertension, type II diabetes and chronic smoking. Chest
radiography revealed right basal opacity consisting of infiltrate. With
respiratory failure, orotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation
were performed. Patient presented gas exchange alteration. Real-time PCR
detected SARS-CoV-2. Treatment with liponavir/ritonavir and
hydroxychloroquine was started. Because of poor acoustic window,
speckle-tracking transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed,
detecting deterioration in global longitudinal strain. On day 15, the
patient suffered bacteraemic sepsis at endovascular focus with Serratia
marcescens and multiorgan failure. TEE-guided haemodynamic monitoring
was repeated showing global longitudinal strain improvement.