Arrhythmias and Intraventricular Conduction Disturbances in Patients Hospitalized With Coronavirus Disease 2019

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology Vol. 162; pp. 111 - 115
• Main Authors: Patel, Nishi H., Rutland, Josh, Tecson, Kristen M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2022; Elsevier Limited; Published by Elsevier Inc
• Subjects: Aged; Arrhythmia; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - epidemiology; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - etiology; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - therapy; Cardiac arrhythmia; Conduction; Congestive heart failure; Coronary artery disease; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - complications; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - therapy; Disturbances; Female; Heart Conduction System - physiopathology; Heart failure; Hospitalization; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Incidence; Inflammation; Inpatients; Intubation; Lung diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Mortality; Mortality risk; Myocarditis; Retrospective Studies; Risk; SARS-CoV-2; Sinuses; Tachycardia; United States - epidemiology; Viral diseases; United States
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2021.08.052

Cardiac arrhythmias have been observed in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Most analyses of rhythm disturbances to date include cases of sinus tachycardia, which may not accurately reflect true cardiac dysfunction. Furthermore, limited data exist regarding the development of conduction disturbances in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Hence, we performed a retrospective review and compared characteristics and outcomes for patients with versus without incident arrhythmia, excluding sinus tachycardia, as well as between those with versus without incident conduction disturbances. There were 27 of 173 patients (16%) hospitalized with COVID-19 who developed a new arrhythmia. Incident arrhythmias were associated with an increased risk of intensive care unit admission (59% vs 31%, p = 0.0045), intubation (56% vs 20%, p <0.0001), and inpatient death (41% vs 10%, p = 0.0002) without an associated increase in risk of decompensated heart failure or other cardiac issues. New conduction disturbances were found in 13 patients (8%). Incident arrhythmias in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are associated with an increased risk of mortality, likely reflective of underlying COVID-19 disease severity more than intrinsic cardiac dysfunction. Conduction disturbances occurred less commonly and were not associated with adverse patient outcomes.