Table 2.
Comparison of initial transthoracic echocardiogram image quality metric between non-COVID and COVID patients in 2020.
| Variable | Scale | Non-COVID N = 40 |
COVID N = 40 |
P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) score (Out of 23) | 21.3 (1.5) | 18.6 (2.5) | <0.001 | |
| Image orientation | ||||
| Parasternal long axis | Yes | 35 (87.5 %) | 40 (100.0 %) | 0.021 |
| Parasternal short axis | Yes | 39 (97.5 %) | 40 (100.0 %) | 0.314 |
| Apical 4 chamber | Yes | 36 (90.0 %) | 38 (95.0 %) | 0.396 |
| Subcostal sagittal | Yes | 29 (72.5 %) | 17 (42.5 %) | 0.007 |
| Suprasternal notch | Yes | 34 (85.0 %) | 36 (90.0 %) | 0.499 |
| 2D Imaging | ||||
| Brightness level appropriate | Agree | 28 (70.0 %) | 13 (32.5 %) | 0.003 |
| Somewhat agree | 10 (25.0 %) | 25 (62.5 %) | ||
| Disagree | 2 (5.0 %) | 2 (5.0 %) | ||
| Balanced penetration: resolution | Agree | 26 (65.0 %) | 23 (57.5 %) | 0.050 |
| Somewhat agree | 10 (25.0 %) | 17 (42.5 %) | ||
| Disagree | 4 (10.0 %) | 0 (0.00 %) | ||
| Region of interest presented well | Agree | 39 (97.5 %) | 23 (57.5 %) | <0.001 |
| Somewhat agree | 1 (2.5 %) | 17 (42.5 %) | ||
| Color-flow imaging | ||||
| Frame rate appropriate | Agree | 38 (95.0 %) | 11 (27.5 %) | <0.001 |
| Somewhat agree | 2 (5.0 %) | 29 (72.5 %) | ||
| Gain level appropriate | Agree | 39 (97.5 %) | 30 (75.0 %) | 0.003 |
| Somewhat agree | 1 (2.5 %) | 10 (25.0 %) | ||
| Nyquist limit settings appropriate | Agree | 37 (92.5 %) | 31 (77.5 %) | 0.060 |
| Somewhat agree | 3 (7.5 %) | 9 (22.5 %) | ||
| Spectral Doppler display | ||||
| Choice of Doppler appropriate | Agree | 40 (100.0 %) | 40 (100.0 %) | – |
| Gain level appropriate | Agree | 40 (100.0 %) | 29 (72.5 %) | <0.001 |
| Somewhat agree | 0 (0.00 %) | 11 (27.5 %) | ||
| Scale adjusted to provide maximal signal size | Agree | 38 (95.0 %) | 18 (45.0 %) | <0.001 |
| Somewhat agree | 0 (0.00 %) | 22 (55.0 %) | ||
| Disagree | 2 (5.0 %) | 0 (0.00 %) |