Unexpected finding of myocardial depression in 2 healthy young patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: possible support for COVID-19-related myocarditis.

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 is proving to be a devastating pandemic with both tragic economic and health consequences worldwide. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the lungs has been thrust into the forefront of resources that could be used in the management of COVID-19 acute care patients. However, relatively little attention has been paid to POCUS utility in assessing the heart in COVID-19 patients. Anecdotal reports suggest encounters of likely COVID-19 induced pericardial effusions and myocardial electrical dysfunction. This article presents 2 cases of generally healthy patients who were noted to have classic COVID-19 bilateral pneumonia findings on lung ultrasound and incidentally discovered to have unsuspected left ventricular dysfunction likely resulting from myocarditis. POCUS videos are presented as illustrations of this potentially overlooked complication.