COVID-19 Infection and Corrected QT Interval Prolongation-Collateral Damage From Our Newest Enemy

Does COVID-19 impact the QT interval prolongation? Answers from genetic causal inference

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been heightened interest in the QT interval, a crucial indicator of ventricular electrical activity. Mendelian randomization (MR) is used here to investigate the genetic causation between QT interval alterations and COVID-19. Genetic proxies representing three COVID-19 phenotypes-severe, hospitalized, and COVID-19-were identified in over 1,000,000 individuals of European ancestry. Univariate two-sample MR (TSMR) and multi-exposure-adjusted multivariate MR (MVMR) were used to assess genetic causal associations between COVID-19 and QT intervals in 84,630 UK Biobank participants. The MR-robust adjusted profile score (MR-RAPS) method and radial MR frame were utilized for effective robustness and outlier variant detection, with sensitivity analyses conducted to identify horizontal pleiotropy. For every COVID-19 phenotype, univariate TSMR analysis revealed non-significant causal estimates between COVID-19 and the QT interval [COVID-19: βIVW (95% CI): -0.44 (-1.72, 0.84), P = 0.50; hospitalization: βIVW: 0.12 (-0.57, 0.80), P = 0.74; severe case: βIVW: 0.11 (-0.29, 0.51), P = 0.58]. MR-RAPS and outlier-corrected radial MR analyses further supported this null causal estimation. In confounder-adjusted MVMR analysis, this nonsignificant causality was independent of body mass index (BMI), smoking, and alcohol consumption [βBMI+Alcohol+Smoking (95% CI): -0.77 (-2.44, 0.91), P = 0.37]. Sensitivity analyses did not detect any evidence of bias from horizontal pleiotropy, abnormal data distribution, or weak instruments. These findings suggest that COVID-19 does not directly causally prolong the QT interval. Inconsistent findings in observational research may be attributed to residual confounding.

Diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19: a narrative review

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was the main pathogen in the COVID-19 pandemic. This viral infection has been associated with several respiratory and non-respiratory complications contributing to a higher mortality rate, especially in patients with underlying heart diseases worldwide. Once considered a respiratory tract disease, it is now well-known that COVID-19 patients may experience a wide range of cardiac manifestations. Because of its remarkable direct and indirect effects on the cardiovascular system, herein, we examined the published literature that studied the hypothetical mechanisms of injury, manifestations, and diagnostic modalities, including changes in molecular biomarkers with a predictive value in the prognostication of the disease, as well as emerging evidence regarding the long-term cardiac complications of the disease.

Targeting NLRP3 signaling reduces myocarditis-induced arrhythmogenesis and cardiac remodeling

BACKGROUND

Myocarditis substantially increases the risk of ventricular arrhythmia. Approximately 30% of all ventricular arrhythmia cases in patients with myocarditis originate from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). However, the role of NLRP3 signaling in RVOT arrhythmogenesis remains unclear.

METHODS

Rats with myosin peptide-induced myocarditis (experimental group) were treated with an NLRP3 inhibitor (MCC950; 10 mg/kg, daily for 14 days) or left untreated. Then, they were subjected to electrocardiography and echocardiography. Ventricular tissue samples were collected from each rat's RVOT, right ventricular apex (RVA), and left ventricle (LV) and examined through conventional microelectrode and histopathologic analyses. In addition, whole-cell patch-clamp recording, confocal fluorescence microscopy, and Western blotting were performed to evaluate ionic currents, intracellular Ca2+ transients, and Ca2+-modulated protein expression in individual myocytes isolated from the RVOTs.

RESULTS

The LV ejection fraction was lower and premature ventricular contraction frequency was higher in the experimental group than in the control group (rats not exposed to myosin peptide). Myocarditis increased the infiltration of inflammatory cells into cardiac tissue and upregulated the expression of NLRP3; these observations were more prominent in the RVOT and RVA than in the LV. Furthermore, experimental rats treated with MCC950 (treatment group) improved their LV ejection fraction and reduced the frequency of premature ventricular contraction. Histopathological analysis revealed higher incidence of abnormal automaticity and pacing-induced ventricular tachycardia in the RVOTs of the experimental group than in those of the control and treatment groups. However, the incidences of these conditions in the RVA and LV were similar across the groups. The RVOT myocytes of the experimental group exhibited lower Ca2+ levels in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, smaller intracellular Ca2+ transients, lower L-type Ca2+ currents, larger late Na+ currents, larger Na+-Ca2+ exchanger currents, higher reactive oxygen species levels, and higher Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II levels than did those of the control and treatment groups.

CONCLUSION

Myocarditis may increase the rate of RVOT arrhythmogenesis, possibly through electrical and structural remodeling. These changes may be mitigated by inhibiting NLRP3 signaling.

Potential Signals of COVID-19 as an Effect Modifier of Adverse Drug Reactions

PURPOSE

COVID-19 infection may interact with patients' medical conditions or medications. The objective of this study was to identify potential signals of effect modification of adverse drug reactions by statistical reporting interactions with COVID-19 infection (SRIsCOVID-19) in a large spontaneous reporting database.

METHODS

Data from the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System through the second quarter of 2020 were used. Three-dimensional disproportionality analyses were conducted to identify drug-event-event (DEE) combinations, for which 1 of the events was COVID-19 infection, that were disproportionately reported. Effect size was quantified by an interaction signal score (INTSS) when COVID-19 was coreported as an adverse event or an indication (INTSSCOVID-19). An SRICOVID-19 exists when the calculated INTSSCOVID-19 is >2. The analyses focused on pandemic-emergent SRIsCOVID-19. Screening for extreme duplication of cases was applied. To assess possible reporting artifacts during the early pandemic as an alternative explanation for pandemic-emergent SRICOVID-19, we repeated the analyses with an additional year of data to gauge temporal stability of our findings.

FINDINGS

When examining DEE interactions, 193 emergent SRIsCOVID-19 were identified, involving 44 drugs and 88 events, in addition to COVID-19 infection. Of the 44 drugs recorded, most were immunosuppressant or modulatory drugs, followed by antivirals. Seven drugs (eg, azithromycin) were identified in emergent SRIsCOVID-19 with preferred terms representing off-label use for prevention or treatment of COVID-19 infection. These drugs were in fact repurposed for COVID-19 treatment, supporting assay sensitivity of our procedure. Infections and infestations were the most frequently observed system organ class, followed by the general disorders and respiratory disorders. The psychiatric system organ class had only a few emergent SRIsCOVID-19 but contained the largest INTSSs. Less commonly reported manifestations of COVID-19 (e.g., skin events) were also identified. After excluding DEE combinations that were highly suggestive of extreme duplication, there remained a more robust set of emergent SRIsCOVID-19, which were supported by biological plausibility considerations. Our findings indicate a relative temporal stability, with >90% of SRIsCOVID-19 persisting after updating the analysis with an additional year of data.

IMPLICATIONS

The signals identified in the analyses could be critical in refining our understanding of the causality of spontaneously reported adverse drug events and thus informing the ongoing care of patients with COVID-19. Our findings also underscore the importance of undetected report duplication as a distorting influence on disproportionality analysis.

Unmasking Pandemic Echoes: An In-Depth Review of Long COVID's Unabated Cardiovascular Consequences beyond 2020

At the beginning of 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as a new pandemic, leading to a worldwide health crisis and overwhelming healthcare systems due to high numbers of hospital admissions, insufficient resources, and a lack of standardized therapeutic protocols. Multiple genetic variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been detected since its first public declaration in 2020, some of them being considered variants of concern (VOCs) corresponding to several pandemic waves. Nevertheless, a growing number of COVID-19 patients are continuously discharged from hospitals, remaining symptomatic even months after their first episode of COVID-19 infection. Long COVID-19 or 'post-acute COVID-19 syndrome' emerged as the new pandemic, being characterized by a high variability of clinical manifestations ranging from cardiorespiratory and neurological symptoms such as chest pain, exertional dyspnoea or cognitive disturbance to psychological disturbances, e.g., depression, anxiety or sleep disturbance with a crucial impact on patients' quality of life. Moreover, Long COVID is viewed as a new cardiovascular risk factor capable of modifying the trajectory of current and future cardiovascular diseases, altering the patients' prognosis. Therefore, in this review we address the current definitions of Long COVID and its pathophysiology, with a focus on cardiovascular manifestations. Furthermore, we aim to review the mechanisms of acute and chronic cardiac injury and the variety of cardiovascular sequelae observed in recovered COVID-19 patients, in addition to the potential role of Long COVID clinics in the medical management of this new condition. We will further address the role of future research for a better understanding of the actual impact of Long COVID and future therapeutic directions.

COVID-19 Vaccination and Cardiac Arrhythmias: A Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In this review, we aim to delve into the existing literature, seeking to uncover the mechanisms, investigate the electrocardiographic changes, and examine the treatment methods of various cardiac arrhythmias that occur after administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.

RECENT FINDINGS

A global survey has exposed an incidence of arrhythmia in 18.27% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, any type of COVID-19 vaccine - be it mRNA, adenovirus vector, whole inactivated, or protein subunit - appears to instigate cardiac arrhythmias. Among the cardiac adverse events reported post-COVID-19 vaccination, myocarditis emerges as the most common and is thought to be a potential cause of bradyarrhythmia. When a patient post-COVID-19 vaccination presents a suspicion of cardiac involvement, clinicians should perform a comprehensive history and physical examination, measure electrolyte levels, conduct ECG, and carry out necessary imaging studies. In our extensive literature search, we uncovered various potential mechanisms that might lead to cardiac conduction abnormalities and autonomic dysfunction in patients who have received the COVID-19 vaccine. These mechanisms encompass direct viral invasion through molecular mimicry/spike (S) protein production, an escalated inflammatory response, hypoxia, myocardial cell death, and the eventual scar/fibrosis. They correspond to a range of conditions including atrial tachyarrhythmias, bradyarrhythmia, ventricular arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, and the frequently occurring myocarditis. For treating these COVID-19 vaccination-induced arrhythmias, we should incorporate general treatment strategies, similar to those applied to arrhythmias from other causes.

Is T-Wave Alternans a Repolarization Abnormality Marker in COVID-19? An Investigation on the Potentialities of Portable Electrocardiogram Device

Background

Cardiac arrhythmias are significantly associated with poor outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Microvolt T-wave alternans (TWA) can be automatically quantified and has been recognized as a representation of repolarization heterogeneity and linked to arrhythmogenesis in various cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to explore the correlation between microvolt TWA and COVID-19 pathology.

Methods

Patients suspected of COVID-19 in Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital were consecutively evaluated using Alivecor^® Kardiamobile 6L™ portable electrocardiogram (ECG) device. Severe COVID-19 patients or those who are unable to cooperate in active ECG self-recording were excluded from the study. TWA was detected and its amplitude was quantified using the novel enhanced adaptive match filter (EAMF) method.

Results

A total of 175 patients, 114 COVID-19 patients (polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive group), and 61 non-COVID-19 patients (PCR-negative group) were enrolled in the study. PCR-positive group was subdivided according to the severity of COVID-19 pathology into mild and moderate severity subgroups. Baseline TWA levels were similar between both groups during admission (42.47 ± 26.52 µV vs. 44.72 ± 38.21 µV), but higher TWA levels were observed during discharge in the PCR-positive compared to the PCR-negative group (53.45 ± 34.42 µV vs. 25.15 ± 17.64 µV, P = 0.03). The correlation between PCR-positive result in COVID-19 and TWA value was significant, after adjustment of other confounding variables (R² = 0.081, P = 0.030). There was no significant difference in TWA levels between mild and moderate severity subgroups in patients with COVID-19, both during admission (44.29 ± 27.14 µV vs. 36.75 ± 24.46 µV, P = 0.34) and discharge (49.47 ± 33.62 µV vs. 61.09 ± 35.99 µV, P = 0.33).

Conclusions

Higher TWA values can be observed on follow-up ECG obtained during discharge in the PCR-positive COVID-19 patients.

Arrhythmias in the COVID-19 patient

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has encompassed the globe since it was first observed just under 2 years ago. Although the disease is predominantly a respiratory illness, there have been observed complications throughout the various organ systems. Namely, cardiovascular complications, and, more specifically, arrhythmic complications have been described throughout the pandemic in patients with COVID-19. Management of atrial arrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias, and bradyarrhythmias in patients with COVID-19 infection has been largely guided by our prior experience in the management of these arrhythmias in similar patient populations without infection. However, this review aims to highlight the specific considerations as they pertain to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the various arrhythmic manifestations observed with this disease.

Sinus bradycardia is associated with poor outcome in critically ill patients with COVID-19 due to the B.1.1.7 Lineage

The progress of COVID-19 from moderate to severe may be precipitous, while the characteristics of the disease are heterogenous. The aim of this study was to describe the development of sinus bradycardia in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and its association with outcome in outbreak due to the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 Lineage. We leveraged the multi-center SuPAR in Adult Patients With COVID-19 (SPARCOL) study and identified patients who required admission to intensive care unit (ICU). Inclusion criteria were: (a) adult (≥18 years old) patients hospitalized primarily for COVID-19; (b) a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosed through reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test of nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal samples; and (c) at least one blood sample collected at admission and stored for suPAR, hs-CRP, and ferritin testing. All patients had continuous heart rate monitoring during hospitalization. In total, 81 patients were included. Of them, 17 (21 %) and 64 (79 %) were intubated and admitted to the ICU during the first and second wave, respectively. Two (12 %) and 62 (97 %) developed bradycardia before ICU admission, respectively (p < 0.001). Patients with bradycardia had increased suPAR (p < 0.001) and hs-CRP level (p < 0.001). Infusion of isoprenaline and/or noradrenaline was necessary to maintain an adequate rate and peripheral perfusion in all patients. Mortality was significantly higher in patients with bradycardia (p < 0.001). In conclusion, bradycardia was associated with poor outcome. As B.1.1.7 variant strain is spreading more rapidly in many countries, our findings help in the identification of patients who may require early admission to ICU.