Analysis of Cardiac Injury Biomarkers in COVID-19 Patients

Background: Infection with the novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), producing a clinical syndrome known as COVID-19, is a budding infectious disease that first manifested in December 2019 in China and subsequently spread worldwide. Objectives: We performed an analysis of cardiac injury markers to determine their usefulness as predictors of severity and mortality Methods: In a retrospective study, we enrolled 73 patients with confirmed diagnoses of COVID-19, from March 21, 2020, to April 24, 2020. Serial tests of cardiac injury markers, including cardiac troponin I (cTnI), N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP), and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), were considered for the analysis of potential cardiac damage. Results: Among 149 patients with confirmed COVID-19, data from 73 patients were studied. Of them, 58 (79.46%) patients were discharged, and 15 (20.54 %) patients died. The mean age was 58.50 (14.66) years. Patients were classified into mild (39 cases), severe (17 cases), and critical (17 cases) groups. The peak cardiac troponin I level (0.11 ng/mL [IQR: 0.33–0.20]), peak NT-pro BNP level (5840.35 pg/mL [IQR: 1609.39 – 10071.32]), and peak LDH level (578.65 UI/l[IQR: 313.40 – 843.90]) were significantly higher in the critical group, and the three cardiac injury parameters were significantly higher in the death group, suggesting that they are significantly associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: The understanding of cardiovascular system injury caused by SARS-CoV-2 and its underlying mechanisms is of great importance for the early clinical management of these patients and mortality reduction.