Cardiovascular Complications in Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19: A Cohort Study in Havana, Cuba

Cardiovasc Revasc Med. 2023 Jul:52:10-15. doi: 10.1016/j.carrev.2023.02.014. Epub 2023 Feb 20.

Abstract

Introduction and objective: At least one in ten patients infected with COVID develop cardiovascular complications during hospitalization, increasing the number of deaths from this cause. However, the determinants of risk are not clearly elucidated. This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between in-hospital cardiac complications and cardiovascular history and hospital evolution.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of 373 patients with a positive diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 admitted to an Intensive Care Unit between March and October 2021.

Results: Median age was 69 (IQR: 57-77), 29.2 % of patients presented cardiovascular complications: 21.2 % electrical, 5.9 % acute coronary syndrome and 1.9 % pulmonary thromboembolism. Age RR: 1.02 (95 % CI: 1.00-1.04; p = 0.020) and history of ischemic heart disease RR: 2.23 (95 % CI: 1.27-3.92; p = 0.005) were identified as independent predictors of in-hospital cardiac complications.

Conclusions: Age and history of ischemic heart disease were identified as independent predictor variables of cardiovascular complications in patients admitted with severe COVID-19 involvement; being significantly associated with lower survival.

Keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; COVID-19; Cardiac arrhythmias; Cardiovascular complication; Mortality.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19* / complications
  • COVID-19* / diagnosis
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cuba / epidemiology
  • Heart Diseases*
  • Hospital Mortality
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Myocardial Ischemia* / diagnosis
  • Myocardial Ischemia* / epidemiology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2