The Importance of Corrected QT Interval for Predicting of Mortality in Patients with Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which started in Wuhan, China in December 2019, soon turned into a pandemic that severely affected the countries ' health and economic systems. COVID-19 can lead to death, especially in patients with lung involvement and cardiac injury. We aimed to determine whether baseline repolarization parameters provide prognostic information in patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) with COVID-19. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we included 135 adult patients (median age 61 years, 52% men, 51% hypertension, 43% diabetes mellitus, 32% coronary artery disease) with confirmed COVID-19 who were followed in the intensive care unit (ICU). Data of patients were extracted from the electrical medical records and compared between the survivors and the non-survivors. Results: : In follow-up, of whom 80 were discharged, 55 died in hospital. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the corrected QT interval (QTc) longer than ≥457 msn on admission (odds ratio (OR) =6.433, 95% CI 1.539-26.970, p=0.01), the age older than 65 years (OR=2.848, 95% CI: 1.003-8.091, p=0.04) and heart rate greater than 99 bpm (OR=9.180, 95% CI: 3.03727.749, p=0.0001) were independent risk factors for mortality in hospital. In addition, corrected the peak of T wave to the end of T wave interval (Tpec) was statistically longer in patients who died than those who lived. Conclusion: The QTc value measured on admission, age and heart rate and can help to predict mortality in hospital. Additionally, Tpec can provide about the risk of mortality in COVID-19 patients.