Acute Coronary Syndrome most common CVD among post COVID-19 patients: Study

Bengaluru: Acute Coronary Syndrome is the most common Cardiovascular disease among COVID-19 infected patients a new study has found. Chest pain came out to be the most common symptom among these patients.

The study, published recently in Indian Heart Journal, focused on the pattern of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in COVID-19 patients.

Research performed by Cardiologists at Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, found that presence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), may increase mortality rate among COVID-19 infected patients up to 10.5%. Advancing in age and lower haemoglobin are some of the factors responsible for increasing mortality among COVID-19 patients the researchers report.

The study enrolled 511 adult patients admitted between July 1st, 2020 and November 30th, 2020 at the Department of Cardiology, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, Bangalore. Out of 511 patients, 376 (73.5%) were male. 209 patients (40.9%) were above 60 years 242 patients were asymptomatic. 269 patients had symptomatic COVID-19. All of them were having either new onset or pre-existing CVD.

The researchers systematically studied demographic data, comorbid conditions, medications, physical examination, ECG, chest X-ray and echocardiography of all patients for interpreting their results. They additionally analyzed troponin-T, D-dimer, Ferritin levels and other important laboratory findings. The researchers found that:

• The most common cardiovascular manifestation was acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Out of which ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was more common than non-ST-segment. The most common symptom at admission was chest pain.
• Pre-existing CVDs were present in 258 patients (50.5%), ischemic heart disease (IHD) the most common.
• Pulmonary involvement was seen in 245 patients (47.9%) where as non-ischemic myocardial injury in the form of possible myocarditis was seen in 52 patients (10.1%).
• Mortality rate account for 18.9%.
• Rhythm and conduction abnormalities (28.2%), heart failure (44.4%) of which acute decompensation of chronic heart failure (ADHF) was the most common and new on-set heart failure were also witnessed.
• Cardiogenic shock was reported with the rate of 10.8%. The same was reported as a significant complications of COVID-19 from study in Germany and USA.

The researchers concluded that Cardiac involvement is common, especially in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Advanced age, elevated serum Ferritin level, lower hemoglobin level, presence of pre-existing CVDs, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, renal failure are some of the important factors involved in mortality rate of COVID-19 infected patients.