Abstract 9141: Cardiac Injury and Mortality Among Covid-19 Patients in a Predominantly Black Community of East Flatbush Brooklyn

Abstract

Introduction: Black/African-American (AA) populations have been previously shown to have increased disease burden of COVID-19 and related deaths. However, not many studies have examined cardiovascular comorbidities and associated cardiac injury contributions to morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 in this population. In this study, we investigate the contributions of cardiac injury to mortality of COVID-19 in a predominantly AA population. Study Design: This is a retrospective cohort study of 572 laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to SUNY Downstate HSC in East Flatbush, Brooklyn between March 12 and May 12, 2020. Patients with a documented troponin level above 0.15 μg/L were denoted as having cardiac injury. Of this group, 110 patients were in the cardiac injury group and 462 patients were in the no cardiac injury group. Statistical significance was designated at the p=0.05 level. Outcome: The primary outcome is 60-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, non-invasive and invasive ventilation requirement, requirement of intensive care unit admission. Results: The median age was 69 years. 303 (52.97%) were males, and 515 (90.03%) were AA. When compared to patient’s non-cardiac injury group, the cardiac injury group tended to be older, and more likely to have comorbidities such as CHF, COPD, and ESRD. Patients with cardiac injury were also more likely to be smokers. In the cardiac injury group, laboratory data showed a higher white blood cell count, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and procalcitonin. Patients with cardiac injury had higher proportion of renal failure, were more likely to require intubation, and were more likely to be transferred to ICU. Notably in comparison to the non-cardiac injury group, patients with cardiac injury found to have a statistically significant two-fold increase in 60-day mortality (62.73% vs 32.90%), reduced mean survival time (33.57 vs 52.70) and a hazard ratio of 1.53 after controlling for confounders using the multiple adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression model. Conclusions and Relevance: The study results exhibit a statistically significant association between cardiac injury and mortality among COVID-19 positive individuals from a predominantly AA population.