CLINICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF MYOCARDIAL INJURY IN POST-COVID SYNDROME

The study retrospectively analyzed clinical data, medical histories, laboratory-instrumental examination re¬sults and morphological myocardial changes in 80 patients with post-COVID syndrome during 2020–2023. The rela¬tionship between cardiovascular clinical manifestations and pathomorphological changes in the myocardium was studied. It was found that post-COVID syndrome may be accompanied by cardiomyocyte dystrophy, interstitial edema, microcirculatory disorders, endothelial dysfunction, perivascular lympho-macrophage infiltration, micro¬thrombosis and fibrotic changes in the myocardium. These changes were clinically manifested by dyspnea, palpita¬tions, chest discomfort, fatigue, arrhythmia and reduced tolerance to physical activity. The results show that myocar¬dial injury in post-COVID syndrome often does not occur as classic myocarditis, but is associated with hypoxia, mi¬crovascular damage, low-grade inflammation and reparative fibrosis.