Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Patients Infected with COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Mashael K Alshaikh,1 Hadil Alotair,2 Farrah Alnajjar,3 Hanaa Sharaf,4 Bader Alhafi,5 Lolwah Alashgar,2 Mohammed Aljuaid6 1Department of Pharmacy Services, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Medicine, King Saud University Medical City. King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Yanbu General Hospital, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Cytogenetics Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Society, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Health Administration, College of Business Administration, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Mohammed AljuaidDepartment of Health Administration, College of Business Administration, King Saud University, P.O. Box 7115, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi ArabiaTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [email protected]: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global pandemic with more than 60 million cases worldwide and over 1.5 million deaths by March 2021. Its outbreak has caused a huge burden on healthcare systems all over the world. Several studies in the medical literature have suggested that patients with underlying cardiovascular disease (CVD) are at higher risk for developing severe symptoms, poor prognosis, and high mortality rates. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of CVD risk factors among COVID-19 patients based on the Framingham risk score (FRS), and to evaluate the association of CVD risk factors with clinical outcomes.Patients and Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we identified 264 confirmed cases with COVID‐19 at King Saud University Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patients aged 18– 80 years were included, and their electronic records were reviewed. They were classified into low, intermediate, and high risk of CVD according to FRS classification.Results: Two-hundred-six patients (67% male) were included in this study. The mean age was 55.3 ± 15.1 years. Most patients had comorbidities: the most common were hypertension (48.1%), diabetes (45.1%), and ischemic heart disease (11.2%). More than half required intensive care admission, and 58 (28.2%) patients died. Pneumonia was the most frequently observed complication (85%), followed by mechanical ventilation (28.3%) and acute kidney injury (27.7%). Age, male gender, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus showed significant differences between FRS categories, and were associated with intermediate and high-risk groups of FRS (p < 0.05). Pneumonia and length of stay were associated with the Intermediate risk group of FRS.Conclusion: Cardiovascular disease risk factors are prevalent in Saudi patients infected with COVID-19. FRS could be a useful tool to identify CVD risk factors among COVID-19 patients and predict a complicated course.Keywords: Framingham risk score FRS, COVID-19, cardiovascular risk factors, Saudi Arabia

Keywords

• framingham risk score frs
• covid-19
• cardiovascular risk factors
• saudi arabia