Key result
COVID-19 infection was associated with a significantly higher heart rate compared to controls (median 104 vs 84 bpm), with sinus tachycardia being common, but no characteristic ECG findings specific to the disease were identified.
Why the study?
Determining an association between COVID-19 and ECG findings can aid early diagnosis and management, but whether characteristic ECG findings exist in the acute period remained unclear.
Do COVID-19 patients have characteristic ECG findings in the acute period compared to controls?
Case-Control (n=124)
No
Do COVID-19 patients have characteristic ECG findings in the acute period compared to controls?
Mean Difference: 17.581 (95% CI 12.772–22.39)
Absolute Event Rate: 104% vs 84%
p-value: p=0.001
Sinus tachycardia is common in acute COVID-19, but there are no specific characteristic ECG findings for the disease.
Background: Determining a relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the ECG findings of the patients with this disease can assist in early diagnosis and patient management based on these findings. This study aimed to investigate whether COVID-19 patients had characteristic ECG findings in the acute period. Methods: A total of 124 patients were divided into two groups as those diagnosed with COVID-19 and controls. The ECGs of these patients were evaluated in terms of rate, rhythm, presence of ST changes, PR interval, QRS width, QTc and QT interval, and presence of right and left bundle branch blocks. Results: On the ECG, the median heart rate of the COVID-19 patients was 104/min (IQR: 99–114), and there was a significant difference compared to the control group (P<0.001). The median PR interval was 157/ms, the QRS width was 86 ± 9/ms in the COVID-19 patients, with no significant difference compared to the controls (P = 0.161 and P = 0.631, respectively). The median QT interval of the COVID-19 patients was normal (400/ms), but a significant difference was detected compared to the controls (P = 0.005). The QTc, ST change, AF, and presence of right and left bundle branch blocks were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: Considering the importance of ECG findings in order to diagnose COVID-19 disease early, we can state that sinus tachycardia is very common in COVID-19 patients, but there is no characteristic ECG finding for COVID-19, including tachycardia.
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Gür et al. (2021) conducted a case-control in COVID-19 (n=124). COVID-19 infection vs. Patients without COVID-19 was evaluated on Heart rate (bpm) (MD 17.581, 95% CI 12.772-22.390, p=0.001). COVID-19 infection was associated with a significantly higher heart rate compared to controls (median 104 vs 84 bpm), with sinus tachycardia being common, but no characteristic ECG findings specific to the disease were identified.
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