Clinical and Electrocardiographic Data of Hospitalized Adults With COVID-19 and its Comparison with Electrocardiograms Before the Infection

Changes in electrocardiograms (ECGs) have been observed in patients withCOVID-19,though there is a lack of data when compared with their previous ECGs. Our main aim was to identify the most common new ECG changes in patients with COVID-19.Methods: A retrospective study included 30 consecutive adults hospitalized in Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Hospital with COVID-19 confirmed by detection of viral RNA by real-time PCR in nasopharyngeal swab from March until December 2020. Clinical and ECG data on admission to the hospital and during hospitalization were analysed and compared with ECGs of the same patients before the infection, obtained from family physicians. Results: All patients had ECGs on admission, 20%-repeated during hospitalization too, in 63.3% the comparison with previous ECGs was possible. Mean age was 68.7±15 (standard deviation), 56.7% were female. Most frequent comorbidities: 83.3% were hypertensive, 23.3% had dyslipidemia, 20%-diabetes, 7% had no comorbidities. During hospitalization, pneumonia had 86.7% of patients. Three patients died. Levogram was on admission in 50%, prolonged QRS duration–36.7%, increased heart rate–23.3%, inverted T-waves–16.7%, atrial fibrillation–10% (two of three cases were diagnosed previously), additionally 3.3% later during hospitalization. There was a significant difference between heart rate (median 66 vs 83 bpm, p<0.05) and QTc interval (mean 424±27.7 vs 445±23.8 ms, p<0.05) before the infection and on admission. Their increase and prolonged QRS duration (15.8% of patients, but not significant increase) were most frequent new ECG changes. Conclusions: Most patients developed pneumonia, their heart rate and QTc interval increased.