Cardiovascular disease development in COVID-19 patients admitted to a tertiary medical centre in Iran

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been reported to occur in a significant number of patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We report our experience regarding the occurrence of symptomatic and asymptomatic CVDs in COVID-19 patients. In this cross-sectional study, 690 COVID-19 patients were included. Cardiovascular consultation had been requested for all of the patients based on their primary clinical examination, vital signs, and electrocardiogram (ECG). Additionally, 2D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and myocardial injury serum biomarkers assays (creatine phosphokinase-MB [CPK-MB] and cardiac troponins [cTn]) were measured once. Manifestations of CVDs, such as chest pain, abnormal serum markers, unstable angina, myocardial infarction (MI), myocarditis, and new-onset hypertension, were documented. The most common symptom was left hemithorax and interscapular pain (317 patients, 46%). New-onset high systolic and diastolic blood pressures were seen in 67 patients (10%). Unstable angina, MI, and myocarditis were, respectively, diagnosed in 20 (2.8%), five (0.7%), and 12 (1.7%) patients. On TTE, pericardial effusion was diagnosed in 139 patients (31.1%). The most common abnormal ECG changes seen were regarding the T-wave, including flat T-wave (148 cases, 21.4%) and inverted T-wave (141 cases, 20.4%). Serum cTn levels were positive or weekly positive in 17 cases (7.4%). The incidence rate of cardiovascular involvements was high in COVID-19 patients.