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Original Scientific Papers

Assessment of COVID-19 deaths from cardiological perspective

ORCID Icon, ORCID Icon & ORCID Icon
Pages 231-238 | Received 21 Jan 2021, Accepted 10 Mar 2021, Published online: 07 Apr 2021
 

Abstract

Background

COVID-19 can cause a variety of cardiac complications and a range of electrocardiographic abnormalities. We analysed cardiological parameters including ECG and high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) level and their association with mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed the demographics, comorbidities, laboratory findings and electrocardiographic parameters of 453 consecutive patients, whose outcome was clear, died or discharged. Findings were compared between survivors and non-survivors. Also, the same comparison was made between cardiac injury and no-cardiac injury subgroups.

Results

The cardiac injury group had significantly higher in-hospital mortality than the no-cardiac injury group. Also, frequencies of atrial fibrillation, axis change, ST-segment/T-wave change, fragmented QRS, premature atrial/ventricular contraction was found to be higher in the cardiac injury group. Moreover, non-survivors had longer QRS intervals, more frequent ST-segment/T-wave changes and isolated S1Q3T3 pattern than surviving patients. Laboratory results showed median values of hs-TnT at the admission of 4.95 ng/L (IQR, 3–12.35) with concentrations markedly higher in the non-surviving patients vs survivors. Hs-TnT value along with age and respiratory rate was found to be an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Comorbidities were more frequently reported in non-surviving and cardiac injury groups than those surviving and without cardiac injury.

Conclusions

In COVID-19 patients, both elevated hs-TnT and ECG abnormalities, suggesting cardiac involvement, on admission portends an ominous prognosis and indicates at higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Prioritised treatment and more aggressive therapeutic strategies could be planned to avoid the occurrence of death in these patients.

Disclosure statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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