SARS-CoV2 infection and COVID-19 is frequently associated with cardiac complications. The pathogenesis likely involves a microvascular angiopathy related to endothelial dysfunction and systemic coagulopathy. More severe forms of disease lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which often results in admission to intensive care units (ICU) with a requirement for invasive ventilation. However, even in non-ICU patients or those who recover at home, there are significant abnormalities in serum levels of biomarkers in the weeks or months while recovering, which may point to ongoing endotheliopathy or inflammation. In the cardiac context, a number of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) studies have suggested ongoing inflammation in a significant cohort of patients who recover from SARS-CoV2 at home, several months post initial infection.

The Study of HEarT DiseAse and ImmuNiTy After COVID-19 in Ireland (SETANTA) is a prospective, community-based, single-arm observational cross-sectional population study. The aim of the study is to investigate the incidence of cardiac abnormalities as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in unselected patients after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and the correlation with immunological response and biomarkers of coagulation. Consecutive patients (n=100) with recent COVID-19 infection (≥ 6 weeks and ≤ 12 months before enrolment), as evidenced by positive reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab will be enrolled if they meet all inclusion criteria and no exclusion criterion. All patients will undergo cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, anti-SARS-CoV-2 total antibody testing and analysis of markers of coagulation and endothelial cell activation. The primary outcome of interest is evidence of cardiac injury as detected by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Róisín Colleran, MB BCh, MRCPI, FESC, is a consultant interventional cardiologist at the Mater Private Hospital Dublin and clinical researcher at the Cardiovascular Research Institute Dublin. 

She graduated in 2007 from National University of Ireland, Galway and undertook internship and basic specialist training in general medicine at University Hospital Galway and Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA. She was awarded Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCPI) in 2009. She completed cardiology specialist training with the Royal College of Physician of Ireland (RCPI) in University Hospital Galway and the Mater University Hospital, Dublin and was awarded her Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training in Cardiology in 2016. She completed sub-speciality training in catheter ablation of cardiac arrhythmias at the Mater Private Hospital, Dublin and in coronary and structural intervention at the German Heart Centre in Munich, Germany, before returning to Ireland.

Dr. Colleran also completed a research fellowship at the German Heart Center, Munich, where she was involved in the conduct of multicentre randomised clinical trials in patients undergoing coronary intervention. Her main research interests are coronary stents, drug-coated balloons, in-stent restenosis, antithrombotic therapies and high bleeding risk in patients undergoing PCI.

She has published in leading journals (Lancet, JACC, Circulation, the European Heart Journal, and the JAMA network) and serves as invited reviewer for journals including the Lancet, Circulation, European Heart Journal, JAMA Cardiology, European Heart Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Circulation Cardiovasc Interventions, Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions and EuroIntervention.

She is a fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC), member of the European Association of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (EAPCI) Scientific Documents and Initiatives Committee and serves as faculty at prestigious scientific congresses including the American Heart Association and Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meetings.