Result of the study of some risk factors affecting arrhythmias and cardiac arrhythmias detected in patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 infection primarily inflames the lung tissue, leading to respiratory failure, as well as affecting the cardiovascular system and causing complications such as blood clots and arrhythmias. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate some risk factors affecting cardiac arrhythmias in patients with Covid-19 infection. Materials and Methods: In this hospital based cross sectional study, included 85 inpatients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection in the red zone department of the Mongolia-Japan Hospital of MNUMS from 01.11.2021 to 01.03.2022. Questionnaires were taken from the participants, vital parameters were measured, laboratory tests (complete blood test, CRP, coagulation test, troponin I, electrolytes, etc.) and electrocardiogram (ECG) were performed 1 time respectively. Results: The average age of the participants was 50±15.1 years, 44 women and 41 men, or similar in terms of gender. Cardiac arrhythmia was found in 27.1%(23), conduction defects in 12.9%(11), by arrhythmia type: 15.3% (13) sinus bradycardia, 4.7%(4) sinus tachycardia, 2.4%(2) atrial fibrillation, 2.4% (2) atrial extrasystole, 1.2% (1) ventricular extrasystole, 1.2%(1) nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, respectively. Comparing laboratory tests in patients with and without arrhythmias: white blood cell count (7.1±2.6; 5.4±1.9, p-0.002), D-dimer (0.65±1.2; 0.32±0.28, p-0.04), LDHlactate dehydrogenase (300±265.2; 205±90.9, p-0.015), ALT (alanine aminotransferase) (109.9±283.7; 35.2±26.6, p-0.04), total cholesterol (5.3±0.94; 4.9±0.7, p-0.02), and serum potassium (4.0±0.41; 3.8±0.26, p-0.04) levels were statistically significantly higher in patients with arrhythmias. As the condition worsened, changes in the electrocardiogram increased (p=0.029). Increasing age (p=0.005), having co-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) (p=0.03), and having other chronic diseases (p=0.001) affect the deterioration of physical condition. Conclusion: Sinus bradycardia, sinus tachycardia, and atrial arrhythmias were prevalent in patients infected with COVID-19. Cardiac arrhythmias and conduction defects are caused by the patient condition is serious and co-existing chronic diseases in combination with covid infection. Advanced age, combined cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases are risk factors for worsening the patient’s condition.