Echocardiographic findings in patients hospitalized by COVID-19 and its relationship with intrahospital mortality and one year after




Jairo A. Rendón-Giraldo, Programa de Cardiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia
Camila Lema-Calidonio, Departamento de Cardiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia
Clara I. Saldarriaga-Giraldo, Departamento de Cardiología, Clínica Cardio VID; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia. Medellín, Colombia


Introduction: In December 2019, the first case of infection by the new coronavirus was reported, its rapid spread made it a public health problem worldwide. Cardiovascular compromise has been frequently reported. Objective: To present the echocardiographic findings in a group of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and their relationship with in-hospital mortality. Method: An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out of hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, who were requested an echocardiogram during hospitalization. Results: A total of 2,052 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 infection were included, an echocardiogram was performed to 18%. The mean age was 62.9 years, and 37% were female. The in-hospital mortality was 36.3%, and the cumulative to year of discharge of 43%. The most frequent comorbidities were arterial hypertension in 45% of patients and diabetes in 28%. Patients who died intrahospital were significantly older (67 vs. 62 years; p < 0.01), presented right ventricle dilatation (p < 0.01) pulmonary hypertension (p = 0.03), and diastolic dysfunction (p = 0.04). In the 236 patients discharged, the annual all-cause mortality was 11.9%. Patients who died were older (65.5 vs. 61.5 years), had in a higher percentage pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction, although no statistically significant differences were found between groups. Conclusions: This study suggests that in patients hospitalized with severe COVID, clinical and echocardiographic markers such as age older than 65 years, right ventricular dilatation, pulmonary hypertension, and diastolic dysfunction are related to increased risk of in-hospital mortality and the year of discharge.



Keywords: COVID-19. Echocardiogram. Mortality.