Clinical impact and predictors of troponin elevation in patients with COVID-19

Link to article at PubMed

Cardiovasc Revasc Med. 2021 Mar 5:S1553-8389(21)00136-6. doi: 10.1016/j.carrev.2021.03.002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cardiac involvement in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is known, manifested by troponin elevation. Studies in the initial phase of the pandemic demonstrated that these patients tended to have a worse prognosis than patients without myocardial injury. We sought to evaluate the clinical impact of significant troponin elevation in COVID-19-positive patients, along with predictors of poor outcomes, over the span of the pandemic to date.

METHODS: We analyzed COVID-19-positive patients who presented to the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, DC, and Maryland) during the pandemic (March 1-June 30, 2020). We compared clinical course and outcomes based on the presence of troponin elevation and identified predictors of mortality.

RESULTS: The cohort included 2716 COVID-19-positive admitted patients for whom troponin was drawn. Of these patients, 250 had troponin elevation (≥1.0 ng/mL). In the troponin-elevation arm, the minimum troponin level was 1.9 ± 8.82 ng/mL; maximum elevation was 10.23 ± 31.07 ng/mL. The cohort's mean age was 68.0 ± 15.0 years; 52.8% were men. Most (68.5%) COVID-19-positive patients with troponin elevation were African American. Patients with troponin elevation tended to be older, with more co-morbidities, and most required mechanical ventilation. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher (48.4%) in COVID-19-positive patients with concomitant troponin elevation than without troponin elevation (12.2%; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients with troponin elevation are at higher risk for mechanical ventilation and mortality. Efforts should focus on early recognition, evaluation, and intensifying care of these patients.

PMID:34053871 | DOI:10.1016/j.carrev.2021.03.002

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