ABSTRACT
Objective: Covid-19 infection has been declared as a pandemic disease by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. More than 400 million people diagnosed with the disease has been reported until February 2022 [1]. Covid-19 infection mostly progresses with lung involvement and pneumonia, however, its effects on the cardiovascular system are also well-known. Studies have reported that Covid 19 infection can trigger cardiac events such as acute myocardial damage, acute myocarditis, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), ventricular arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, and cardiac arrest [2]. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is an important tool to diagnose cardiac involvement. QTc interval, QT dispersion, Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QTc ratio are defined as ventricular repolarization parameters and these parameters are associated with increased risk of ventricular arrhythmia [3,4]. In our study, we aimed to evaluate to predict ventricular arrhythmia by ECG in Covid-19 patients. Method(s): Our study is a single-center, cross-sectional study. Patients diagnosed with Covid-19 in our center between July and October 2020 were included. 408 patients with positive SARS-CoV2 PCR test were detected and the ECGs of the patients were recorded at admission and 15 days after symptomatic recovery. After the exclusion criteria, remained 91 patients were analyzed. Conduction parameters (PR and QRS durations) and repolarization parameters (QTc interval, QT dispersion, Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QTc ratio) were evaluated in 12-lead ECG recordings. Result(s): Ninety-one patients with Covid-19 infection were included. The group were consisted of 47 male (52%) and 44 female (48%). The mean age was 50.4 years. As a result of the statistical analysis, no significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of PR interval (142.2+/-21.4 ms vs. 140.1+/-19.0 ms;p=0.312). QRS duration was found significantly higher during active infection (91.4+/-12.2 ms vs. 88.8+/-10.9 ms;p=0.022). The mean QTc duration was detected longer in the first ECG, but no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups (426.1+/-23.6 ms vs. 422.5+/-26.2 ms;p=0.237). QT dispersion (35.2+/-7.3 ms vs. 27.7+/-7.8 ms;p<0.001), Tp-e interval (86.7+/-10.1 ms vs. 76.1+/-9.9 ms;p<0.001) and Tp-e/QTc ratio (0.204+/-0.026 vs 0.180+/-0.025;p<0.001) were found significantly higher during active infection Conclusion(s): In our study, QRS complex, QT dispersion, Tp-e interval, Tpe/ QTc ratio were significantly higher during active infection. We considered these parameters as a contributor of the increased mortality by inducing ventricular arrhythmia and sudden death in Covid-19 patients during active infection.
ABSTRACT
New coronavirus referred to SARS-CoV-2 has caused a worldwide pandemic (COVID-19) declared by WHO. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease with severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is akin to SARS-CoV, which was the causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002 as well as to that of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012. SARS-CoV-2 has been revealed to belong to Coronaviridiae family as a member of ß-coronaviruses. It has a positive-sense single-stranded RNA with the largest RNA genome. Since its genomic sequence has a notable similarity to that of SARS-CoV, antiviral drugs used to treat SARS and MERS are now being also applied for COVID-19 treatment. In order to combat SARS-CoV-2, many drug and vaccine development studies at experimental and clinical levels are currently conducted worldwide. In this sense, medicinal plants and the pure natural molecules isolated from plants have been reported to exhibit significant inhibitory antiviral activity against SARS-CoV and other types of coronaviruses. In the present review, plant extracts and natural molecules with the mentioned activity are discussed in order to give inspiration to researchers to take these molecules into consideration against SARS-CoV-2.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 caused by a new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) originated in China has speedily become a frightening pandemic all over the world. Despite of intense efforts relevant to experimental and clinical studies since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, no disease-specific drug or vaccine is available, yet. Several treatment strategies including already known antiviral drugs, interpherons, interleukin inhibitors, and other drugs acting through different mechanims are being implemented in COVID-19 patients. On the other hand, natural products especially pythocompounds have been proven to be lead molecules for drug design and development research. Among them, curcumin as the main constituent of Curcuma longa L. (turmeric), is the reputed compound displaying remarkable biological activities for human health. It has been shown to have a inhibiting effect against a wide range of viruses such as HCV, HIV, PEDV, HSV, Ebola, dengue, influenza, Zika, SARS-CoV, etc. Therefore, curcumin could be considered as a structural model for designing new molecules against COVID-19. In the present review, antiviral activity of curcumin is scrutinized thorugh the literature data relevant to its enzyme and receptor interactions, in vitro, in vivo, in silico, and cell-based assays.