Mortality high among COVID-19 patients who developed heart disease

A study by the Heart Institute (Incor), linked to the Hospital das Clíninicas of the University of São Paulo (USP) Medical School, showed a high hospital mortality rate (42%) among patients with COVID-19 who developed heart issues as a result of the disease.

The research, published in the online scientific journal IJC Heart & Vasculature, also revealed that 71 percent of patients needed intensive care while hospitalized and 54.2 percent showed lesions in the cardiac muscle.

As aggravating factors, the study also identified previous heart failure, found in 12.6 percent of participants, changes in the cardiac echo (6%), acute coronary syndrome (5.7%), and heart arrhythmia (4.5%).

The study was conducted by Dr. Roberto Kalil Filho, chair of Incor’s Directing Council, and researcher Patrícia Guimarães. Entitled CoronaHeart, the research is based on the assessment of 2,546 people aged 64 years old on average, hospitalized at 21 care units from June to October 2020.

“The first of its kind in South America, this study is now part of the global set of data on heart complications in COVID-19 patients alongside research conducted in Italy, the US, and the UK. Since populations have their own particular features, this study stands out as it is based on a Brazilian background,” Dr. Kalil pointed out.

One of the specific characteristics observed in Brazil was the increased risk of death in patients with cancer due to their enfeebled immune system. This is similar to results from studies conducted in China, but not reported in Europe.

The study also showed a close number of deaths among men and women in Brazil, unlike international surveys. In other countries, males prevailed in death records.