Electrocardiography on admission is associated with poor outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a widely accessible diagnostic tool that can easily be obtained on admission and can reduce excessive contact with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the latest evidence on the association of ECG on admission and the poor outcomes in COVID-19. Methods: A literature search was conducted on online databases for observational studies evaluating ECG parameters and composite poor outcomes comprising ICU admission, severe illness, and mortality in COVID-19 patients. Results: A total of 2,539 patients from seven studies were included in this analysis. Pooled analysis showed that a longer corrected QT (QTc) interval and more frequent prolonged QTc interval were associated with composite poor outcome ([WMD 6.04 [2.62-9.45], P =.001; I2:0%] and [RR 1.89 [1.52-2.36], P