SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 5 Sayı: 2

Evaluation of Orthostatic Hypotension and Cardiac Function in Patients Recovered from Mild COVID-19 Infection

Hafif COVID-19 Enfeksiyonundan İyileşen Hastalarda Ortostatik Hipotansiyon ve Kardiyak Fonksiyonun Değerlendirilmesi

Ümmü Taş(İZMİR DEMOKRASİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-3725-2944
Sedat Taş(Buca Seyfi Demirsoy Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi)0000-0001-8086-1318
Pages
11–19
Publication Date
2025-07-31
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These findings underscore the importance of performing a comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation for post-COVID-19 patients who are experiencing persistent symptoms.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension (OH) and echocardiographic metrics in individuals who have recovered from mild COVID-19 infection in comparison to a matched control cohort.
📊
Key Findings & Data:This investigation seeks to explore the possible implications of mild COVID-19 on cardiac functionality and the autonomic cardiovascular response, as well as to examine the enduring cardiovascular ramifications of the illness.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:These findings underscore the importance of performing a comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation for post-COVID-19 patients who are experiencing persistent symptoms.
🔬Design:Klinik Araştırma
📍Scope:2021 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Ortostatik hipotansiyon · COVID-19 · otonomik disfonksiyon

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension (OH) and echocardiographic metrics in individuals who have recovered from mild COVID-19 infection in comparison to a matched control cohort. This investigation seeks to explore the possible implications of mild COVID-19 on cardiac functionality and the autonomic cardiovascular response, as well as to examine the enduring cardiovascular ramifications of the illness. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study encompassed a cohort of 80 patients with laboratory-confirmed mild COVID-19 infections who presented with ongoing symptoms at the cardiology outpatient clinic during the period from March 15 to May 30, 2021. Additionally, 80 healthy controls matched for age and sex were included in the study. Comprehensive anthropometric measurements, such as height, weight, and waist circumference, were recorded, while blood pressure was assessed in both sitting/supine and standing positions. Orthostatic hypotension (OH) was defined as a decline of ≥20 mmHg in systolic blood pressure or ≥10 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure occurring within three minutes of standing. All participants underwent a thorough evaluation, which included 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) and transthoracic echocardiography. The occurrence of orthostatic hypotension and the echocardiographic findings were meticulously analyzed and compared between the two groups using appropriate statistical methodologies. Results: Patients experiencing persistent symptoms following COVID-19 showed a notably higher prevalence of orthostatic hypotension (OH) at 16.2% compared to 3.7% in the control group (p=0.008) and had elevated resting heart rates (p<0.001). Although echocardiographic measures were all observed to be higher in the COVID-19 cohort, these differences did not reach statistical significance. Additionally, no meaningful correlations were identified between echocardiographic results and the variables of age, body mass index (BMI), sex, or OH. Conclusion: Individuals recovering from mild COVID-19 often display cardiac abnormalities, including orthostatic hypotension, which may indicate the presence of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction. These findings underscore the importance of performing a comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation for post-COVID-19 patients who are experiencing persistent symptoms.

Özet

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, hafif düzeyde COVID-19 enfeksiyonu geçirmiş ve iyileşmiş bireylerde ortostatik hipotansiyon (OH) sıklığını ve ekokardiyografik parametreleri, yaş ve cinsiyet açısından eşleştirilmiş bir kontrol grubuyla karşılaştırmaktır. Araştırma, hafif COVID-19 enfeksiyonunun kalp fonksiyonları ve kardiyovasküler otonomik yanıt üzerindeki olası etkilerini incelemeyi ve hastalığın uzun dönem kardiyovasküler sonuçlarını değerlendirmeyi hedeflemektedir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu kesitsel çalışma, 15 Mart 2021 ile 30 Mayıs 2021 tarihleri arasında kardiyoloji polikliniğine devam eden semptomları olan, laboratuvar testleriyle hafif COVID-19 enfeksiyonu geçirdiği doğrulanan 80 hastayı kapsamaktadır. Ayrıca, yaş ve cinsiyet açısından eşleştirilmiş 80 sağlıklı birey kontrol grubu olarak dahil edilmiştir. Katılımcıların boy, kilo ve bel çevresi gibi antropometrik ölçümleri kaydedilmiş; kan basıncı, oturur/yatar pozisyonda ve ayakta pozisyonda ölçülmüştür. Ortostatik hipotansiyon, ayakta durma sonrası üç dakika içinde sistolik kan basıncında ≥20 mmHg veya diyastolik kan basıncında ≥10 mmHg düşüş olarak tanımlanmıştır. Tüm katılımcılar, 12 derivasyonlu elektrokardiyografi (EKG) ve transtorasik ekokardiyografi ile değerlendirilmiştir. Ortostatik hipotansiyon sıklığı ve ekokardiyografik bulgular, uygun istatistiksel yöntemler kullanılarak iki grup arasında karşılaştırılmıştır. Bulgular: COVID-19 sonrası persistan semptomları olan hastalarda, kontrol grubuna kıyasla ortostatik hipotansiyon sıklığı (%16.7’ye karşı %3.7, p=0.008) ve istirahat kalp hızı (p<0.001) anlamlı derecede yüksek bulunmuştur. Ekokardiyografik parametreler, COVID-19 grubunda daha yüksek olmasına rağmen, bu farklar istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmamıştır. Ayrıca, ekokardiyografik bulgular ile yaş, beden kitle indeksi, cinsiyet veya ortostatik hipotansiyon arasında anlamlı bir ilişki saptanmamıştır. Sonuç: Hafif COVID-19 enfeksiyonundan iyileşen bireylerde, ortostatik hipotansiyon gibi kardiyak anormallikler sık görülmekte olup bu durum, kardiyovasküler otonomik disfonksiyonun bir göstergesi olabilir. Bu bulgular, persistan semptomları olan post-COVID-19 hastalarında kapsamlı bir kardiyovasküler değerlendirmenin önemini vurgulamaktadır.

🔖

Cite This Article

Taş, Ü., Taş, S. (2025). Evaluation of Orthostatic Hypotension and Cardiac Function in Patients Recovered from Mild COVID-19 Infection. Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, Cilt: 5 Sayı: 2, 11–19. https://doi.org/10.71255/maunsbd.1684291

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (26)

  1. Amdal, C. D., Pe, M., Falk, R. S., Piccinin, C., Bottomley, A., Arraras, J. I., Darlington, A. S., Hofsø, K., Holzner, B., Jørgensen, N. M. H., Kulis, D., Rimehaug, S. A., Singer, S., Taylor, K., & Bjordal, K. (2021). Health-related quality of life issues, including symptoms, in patients with active COVID-19 or post COVID-19; a systematic literature review. Quality of Life Research, 30(12), 3367–3381. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-021-02908-z
  2. Bisaccia, G., Ricci, F., Recce, V., Serio, A., Iannetti, G., Chahal, A. A.,. & Gallina, S. (2021). Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 and cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction: What do we know? Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 8(11), 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd8110156
  3. Carfì, A., Bernabei, R., & Landi, F. (2020). Persistent symptoms in patients after acute COVID-19. JAMA, 324(6), 603–605. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.12603
  4. Dani, M., Dirksen, A., Taraborrelli, P., Torocastro, M., Panagopoulos, D., Sutton, R., & Lim, P. B. (2021). Autonomic dysfunction in ‘long COVID’: Rationale, physiology and management strategies. Clinical Medicine, 21(1), e63–e67. https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmed.2020-0896
  5. Davis, H. E., McCorkell, L., Vogel, J. M., & Topol, E. J. (2023). Long COVID: Major findings, mechanisms and recommendations. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 21(3), 133–146. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00846-2
  6. Fedorowski, A., Fanciulli, A., Raj, S. R., Sheldon, R. S., Shibao, C. A., & Sutton, R. (2024). Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in post-COVID-19 syndrome: A major health-care burden. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 21(6), 379–395. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-023-00962-3
  7. Fedorowski, A., Sutton, R., & Olshansky, B. (2022). Orthostatic hypotension: Newer insights and management. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 73, 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2022.07.002
  8. Gonzalez, M. B., Boixeda, R., & Benítez, I. (2021). Long COVID: A review of a new chronic condition. European Journal of Internal Medicine, 91, 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2021.07.003
  9. Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., & Wang, S. (2022). Cardiac manifestations in patients with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 9, Article 839798. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.839798
  10. Marques, K. C., Quaresma, J. A. S., & Falcão, L. F. M. (2023). Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in “Long COVID”: Pathophysiology, heart rate variability, and inflammatory markers. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 10, 1256512. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1256512
  11. Nascimento, J. H. P., Costa, L. F., & Vissoci, J. R. N. (2023). Cardiovascular complications of long COVID: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Infection, 86(5), 483–485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2023.03.019 Nussinovitch, U., de Carvalho, J. S., & Rand, S. (2021). Cardiac manifestations of COVID-19. Cardiology in the Young, 31(6), 867–874. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1047951121001623 Olszanecka, A., Wojciechowska, W., Bednarek, A., Kusak, P., Wizner, B.,. & Rajzer, M. (2023). Serial echocardiographic evaluation of COVID-19 patients without prior history of structural heart disease: A 1-year follow-up CRACoV-HHS study. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 10, 1231258. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1231258
  12. Paltiel, A. D., & Zheng, A. (2021). Long-term consequences of COVID-19: Research needs. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 21(6), 741–742. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30701-5
  13. Pavli, A., Theodoridou, M., & Maltezou, H. C. (2021). Post-COVID syndrome: Incidence, clinical spectrum, and challenges for primary healthcare professionals. Archives of Medical Research, 52(6), 575–581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arcmed.2021.03.010
  14. Qi, R., Chen, X., & Wang, Y. (2022). Post-COVID-19 syndrome: Epidemiology, clinical presentation, and management. Frontiers in Medicine, 9, Article 835937. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.835937
  15. Raj, S. R., Arnold, A. C., Barboi, A., Claydon, V. E., Limberg, J. K., Lucci, V. M., Numan, M., Peltier, A., Snapper, H., & Vernino, S. (2021). Long-COVID postural tachycardia syndrome: An American Autonomic Society statement. Clinical Autonomic Research, 31(3), 365–368. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-021-00798-2
  16. Reis Carneiro, D., Rocha, I., Habek, M., Helbok, R., Sellner, J., Struhal, W.,. & Fanciulli, A. (2023). Clinical presentation and management strategies of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction following a COVID-19 infection—A systematic review. European Journal of Neurology, 30(5), 1528–1539.
  17. Reis Carneiro, D., Rocha, I., Habek, M., Helbok, R., Sellner, J., Struhal, W., Wenning, G., & Fanciulli, A. (2023). Clinical presentation and management strategies of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction following a COVID-19 infection—A systematic review. European Journal of Neurology, 30(5), 1528–1539. https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.15714
  18. Salem, M., Mohammed, O., & Younes, S. (2022). Post-acute effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the cardiac autonomic function. International Journal of General Medicine, 15, 759–768. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S348846
  19. Shouman, K., Vanichkachorn, G., Cheshire, W. P., Suarez, M. D., Shelly, S., Lamotte, G. J., Sandroni, P., Benarroch, E. E., Berini, S. E., Cutsforth-Gregory, J. K., Coon, E. A.,Mauermann, M. L., Low, P. A., & Singer, W. (2021). Autonomic dysfunction following COVID-19 infection: An early experience. Clinical Autonomic Research, 31(3), 385–394. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-021-00803-8
  20. Shrestha, A. B., Jha, S., & Regmi, S. (2023). Incidence of cardiovascular complications in post-COVID-19 syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(15), 5049. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12155049
  21. Sudre, C. H., Murray, B., Varsavsky, T., Graham, M. S., Penfold, R. S., Bowyer, R. C., Pujol, J. C., Klaser, K., Antonelli, M., Canas, L. S., Molteni, E., Modat, M., Jorge Cardoso, M., May, A., Ganesh, S., Davies, R., Nguyen, L. H., Drew, D. A., Astley, C. M., … Steves, C. J. (2021). Attributes and predictors of long COVID. Nature Medicine, 27(4), 626–631. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01292-y
  22. Xie, Y., Xu, E., Bowe, B., & Al-Aly, Z. (2022). Long-term cardiovascular outcomes of COVID-19. Nature Medicine, 28(3), 583–590. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01689-3
  23. Zhang, Y., Li, J., & Chu, Y. (2021). Cardiac complications in patients with COVID-19: A systematic review. Journal of Cardiology, 78(5), 393–399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jjcc.2021.06.008.
  24. Bisaccia, G., Ricci, F., Recce, V., Serio, A., Iannetti, G., Chahal, A. A.,. & Gallina, S. (2021). Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 and cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction: What do we know? Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 8(11), 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd8110156
  25. Nascimento, J. H. P., Costa, L. F., & Vissoci, J. R. N. (2023). Cardiovascular complications of long COVID: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Infection, 86(5), 483–485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2023.03.019 Nussinovitch, U., de Carvalho, J. S., & Rand, S. (2021). Cardiac manifestations of COVID-19. Cardiology in the Young, 31(6), 867–874. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1047951121001623 Olszanecka, A., Wojciechowska, W., Bednarek, A., Kusak, P., Wizner, B.,. & Rajzer, M. (2023). Serial echocardiographic evaluation of COVID-19 patients without prior history of structural heart disease: A 1-year follow-up CRACoV-HHS study. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 10, 1231258. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1231258
  26. Reis Carneiro, D., Rocha, I., Habek, M., Helbok, R., Sellner, J., Struhal, W.,. & Fanciulli, A. (2023). Clinical presentation and management strategies of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction following a COVID-19 infection—A systematic review. European Journal of Neurology, 30(5), 1528–1539.