Cardiac complications of COVID-19: Incidence and outcomes

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with pre-existing cardiac conditions as well as cardiovascular complications. The incidence rates of cardiac complications, age, and gender differences in this population are unknown. Objectives: We wanted to study the incidence of cardiac complications and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Methods: Data from the TriNetX COVID-19 global research network platform was used to identify COVID-19 patients. We compared patients with and without cardiac complications in patients with COVID-19 and obtained survival data. Results: The final cohort was composed of 81,844 patients with COVID-19. Cardiac complications occurred in 9.3% of patients as follows: acute coronary syndromes in 1.3%, heart failure in 4.4%, atrial fibrillation in 4.5%, sinus bradycardia 1.9%, ventricular tachycardia in 0.5% and complete heart block in 0.01%. Mortality was significantly higher in patients with the cardiac complications mentioned (20%) than in those without them (2.9%) (odds ratio 7.2, 95% CI, 6.7–7.7; p < 0.0001). Older males seem to have higher incidence of cardiac complications and mortality. Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 who have cardiac complications have a higher risk of mortality when compared to those without cardiac complications.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Cardiac complications
• SARS-CoV-2
• Mortality