POST-COVID CARDIOVASCULAR MANIFESTATION AMONG THE PATIENTS ATTENDING TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN CHHINDWARA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the cardiovascular manifestations in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Methods: All patients, attending to the dedicated post-COVID outpatient department of Medicine Department, Chhindwara Institute of Medical Sciences from April 2021 to March 2022, with a history of positive RTPCR for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) at least 2 weeks before presentation, were included in the study. Questionnaire along with patients echocardiogram and echo report, Canadian classification used for angina grading and NYHA classification to classify shortness of breath. A total of 650 patients were assessed for demographics, pre-existing comorbidities, health status, date of symptoms onset, COVID-19 diagnosis, health-care utilization, and the presence of any cardiac or other symptoms at the time of the onset of symptoms (retrospectively) and at follow-up days after symptoms onset. Results: The mean age of the sample (n=650) was 50.34 years. Majority were 346 (53.23%) males. According to responses using Canadian classification for chest pain were 75 (12.5%) Class 2 angina, in NYHA classification, majority 480 (80%) of patients had Class 2 SOB. About 90 (15%) of patients echo showed positive echo findings. The average stay of patients was 7.58+–1.6 days. About 135 (22.5%) of post-COVID patients had cardiac manifestations, majority were male 118 (87.4%). One hundred and two (75.5%) of patients that developed cardiac manifestation had multiple comorbidities, AF (6%) was reported in patients age 62 years and above. NSTEMI was reported in patients with multiple comorbidities. Conclusion: As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic progresses, the interactions between coexisting cardiovascular disease and acute cardiovascular manifestations have a major implication on the medical community’s understanding of this disease. This suggests the presence of a post-COVID-19 syndrome and highlights the unmet health-care needs in a subgroup of patients with mild or severe COVID-19.