Electrocardiographic Manifestations in Patients with COVID-19: Daegu in South Korea
- Author:
Han-Joon BAE
1
;
Hyun Jun CHO
;
Chan-Hee LEE
;
Myung Hwan BAE
;
Hyoung-Seob PARK
;
Byung Chun JUNG
;
Dong-Gu SHIN
;
Yongkeun CHO
;
Jongmin HWANG
;
Seongwook HAN
;
Kyu-Hwan PARK
;
Se Yong JANG
;
Young Soo LEE
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Research
- From:Korean Circulation Journal 2021;51(10):851-862
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background and Objectives:As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spreads worldwide, cardiac injury in patients infected with COVID-19 becomes a significant concern. Thus, this study investigates the impact of several electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters and disease severity in COVID-19 patients.
Methods:Seven medical centers in Daegu admitted 822 patients with COVID-19 between February and April 2020. This study examined 267 patients among them who underwent an ECG test and evaluated their biochemical parameters like C-reactive protein (CRP), log N-terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP), cardiac enzyme, and ECG parameters (heart rate, PR interval, QRS interval, T inversion, QT interval, and Tpe [the interval between peak to end in a T wave]).
Results:Those patients were divided into 3 groups of mild (100 patients), moderate (89 patients), and severe (78 patients) according to clinical severity score. The level of CRP, log NT-proBNP, and creatinine kinase-myocardial band were significantly increased in severe patients. Meanwhile, severe patients exhibited prolonged QT intervals (QTc) and Tpe (Tpe-c) compared to mild or moderate patients. Moreover, deceased patients (58; 21.7%) showed increased dispersion of QTc and Tpe-c compared with surviving patients (78.2±41.1 vs. 40.8±24.6 ms and 60.2±37.3 vs. 40.8±24.5 ms, both p<0.05, respectively). The QTc dispersion of more than 56.1 ms could predict the mortality in multivariate analysis (odd ratio, 11.55; 95% confidence interval, 3.746–42.306).
Conclusions:COVID-19 infections could involve cardiac injuries, especially cardiac repolarization abnormalities. A prolonged QTc dispersion could be an independent predictable factor of mortality.
