PS-C16-7: ASSOCIATION OF ELECTROCARDIOGRAM FINDINGS WITH MORTALITY IN COVID-19 PATIENTS

Abstract

Objective: The COVID-19 virus has greatly debilitated a lot of patients in the Philippines. Baseline demographic characteristics and other parameters such as baseline electrocardiographic (ECG) findings were investigated to act as predictors for mortality among admitted patients who are RT-PCR positive for COVID. This study aims to determine the association of baseline ECG findings including both normal and abnormal variants such as those suggestive of acute cardiac injury and hypertrophy with mortality of these patients. Design and method: This is a retrospective study of patients admitted from March 2020 to May 2021 who were diagnosed to have COVID-19 thru an RT-PCR swab. Inclusion criteria include a recorded baseline ECG. Demographic characteristics were also included. Patients were divided according to their ECG findings as normal and abnormal. Among those with abnormal ECG findings, they were further subdivided into those with ischemic changes, hypertrophy, and miscellaneous (bundle branch blocks). Results: A total of one hundred thirty-six (136) patients were included in this study. Among the abnormal ECG findings obtained, the miscellaneous group particularly those with right bundle branch block was noted to be associated with mortality (OR = 4.86, 95% CI 1.04–22.7, p = 0.044). Other ECG findings such as ischemic changes and hypertrophy showed no significant association. Conclusion: Among the different classifications of ECG findings, those with baseline ECG findings of right bundle branch block showed a positive association with mortality. Other parameters such as demographic features are also noted to have no association with mortality. Further investigation and a higher population number are suggested to further conclude these findings.