Post-COVID Dyspnea in Preserved Systolic Function

The present prospective, single-center, observational cross-sectional cohort study was conducted between May 2021 and February 2022 at cardiology out-patient clinic, Al-Zahraa University Hospital. The study included 60 post Covid-19 patients one month after recovery who suffered from persistent dyspnea with preserved LV systolic function compared to age- and sex- matched 30 healthy individuals as control group (with no history of previous Covid infection confirmed by negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction on a nasopharyngeal swab). Patients with hypertension, DM, smoking, known cardiomyopathies, and/or LV systolic dysfunction, significant valvular heart diseases, chronic lung disease, hypoxia, morbid obesity, chronic hepatic or renal disease, or contraindications to stress ECG were excluded from the study.