Gu H, Cirillo C, Nabeebaccus AA, et al. - Researchers undertook a retrospective outcome study to investigate if first-phase ejection fraction (EF1), the ejection fraction assessed in early systole up to the time of peak aortic velocity, a sensitive measure of preclinical heart failure, was related to survival among patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Comparison of EF1 was performed between COVID-19 cases and historical controls with similar comorbidities who had undergone echocardiography prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among COVID-19 patients, survival in each patient group (Wuhan and London) was shown to be strongly predicted by EF1. Similar EF1 was exhibited by patients with and without COVID-19. Findings demonstrated a strong link of impaired EF1 with mortality in COVID-19, and preexisting, preclinical heart failure is likely reflected by impaired EF1.