Evaluation of long‐term cardiac functions of hospitalized neonates with symptomatic COVID‐19 infection

Background The COVID‐19 epidemic has affected many neonates and caused severe symptomatic findings that impaired their cardiac functions. We aimed to evaluate the long‐term cardiac functions of patients hospitalized due to COVID‐19 infection with symptomatic findings. Methods This study is a retrospective cohort study. Patients who were admitted to our unit with symptomatic COVID‐19 infection between January 2020 and May 2023 were included. The laboratory and clinical results of these patients were registered in their files. Echocardiography and electrocardiography of 15 patients were evaluated at approximately 14 months of age by accessing their file information and comparing abnormal border values with laboratory and clinical findings of newborns and those in the normal range in the neonatal unit. Results Left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter was detected in 1 (6.7%) case, left ventricular end‐systolic diameter in 3 (20%) cases, mitral annular plane systolic excursion annulus lateral in 7 (47%) cases, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion Z ‐scores were within abnormal ranges in 4 (27%) cases. It was seen that there was a relationship between low neutrophil count ( p = 0.003), low aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ( p = 0.003), and abnormal echocardiography findings, and also a relationship between low platelet count ( p = 0.032), AST value ( p = 0.009), and lateral annulus Z ‐score of mitral annular plane systolic excursion. Conclusions This study underscores the importance of cardiac monitoring in neonates with severe COVID‐19. Low neutrophil, platelet counts, and AST levels during infection may indicate a higher risk. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings.