Study population
After exclusion of 6 patients whose age was less than 18 years old, the
study included 390 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection. Median
patients age was 57.5 years (IQR 43-74.3 years), the prevalence of HTN,
DM, ischemic heart disease (IHD) and CHF was 30%, 20.3%, 8.7% and
6.4%, respectively. Twenty-six patients had a past history of
arrhythmias: 2 with bradyarrhythmias due to a previous atrioventricular
(AV) block with an implanted pacemaker for both; and 24 with
tachyarrhythmias including atrial fibrillation (AF) in 21 (4 persistent
and 17 paroxysmal), ventricular fibrillation in 1 patient [(patient
with dilated cardiomyopathy implanted with an implantable
cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)], supraventricular tachycardia ( SVT)
in 1 patient and atypical atrial flutter in 1 patient. On presentation,
most patients had respiratory symptoms (67.7%) while a minority
presented also with either palpitations or syncope (4.4%). Thirty-eight
(9.7%) patients were hospitalized in intensive care unit (including 8
with new arrhythmias). Relevant blood test, ECG findings and
distribution of disease severity are further presented in Table 1.
Twenty-nine (7.4%) patients died during the index hospitalization.