QT interval measurement with portable device during COVID-19 outbreak

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment lacks definitive options, necessitating strategies to manage drug side effects.
• Certain COVID-19 treatments can prolong the QT interval, increasing the risk of dangerous cardiac arrhythmias.
• Effective monitoring of electrocardiograms (ECG) is crucial for patient safety during SARS-CoV-2 infection treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a protocol for monitoring the QT interval in COVID-19 patients using a portable, Bluetooth-enabled device.
• To analyze QT interval changes in patients treated with specific COVID-19 medications.
• To assess the efficacy of the monitoring protocol in preventing adverse cardiac events.

Main Methods:

• Development of a protocol for QT interval monitoring utilizing a portable device with Bluetooth connectivity.
• Validation of the portable device against conventional body surface ECG in 50 patients.
• Enrollment of 81 SARS-CoV-2 infected patients receiving lopinavir/ritonavir, azithromycin, and/or hydroxychloroquine for monitoring.

Main Results:

• The portable device showed excellent correlation with conventional ECG for QT interval measurement.
• Ten patients (12.3%) developed drug-related QT interval prolongation, statistically significant across treatment regimens.
• All patients with QT prolongation corrected following protocol guidance; no deaths from arrhythmia occurred.

Conclusions:

• A protocol for systematic ECG monitoring, especially using portable devices, minimizes risks of iatrogenic QT prolongation in COVID-19 patients.
• This approach effectively reduces the incidence of sudden cardiac death associated with drug side effects.
• Portable monitoring devices are valuable tools for managing COVID-19 patients, reducing healthcare worker exposure.