ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular compromise in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) does not necessarily present with the classic symptoms described in myocarditis. There is growing evidence demonstrating subclinical cardiovascular compromise in the context of the intense inflammation unleashed, the cytokine storm involved, the baseline prothrombotic state, and the consequent endothelial dysfunction. We set out to analyse whether Troponin-T (TT) and the amino-terminal fraction of pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) determined at hospital admission, are related to mortality during the hospitalization of these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analytical, observational, retrospective cohort and cross-sectional study. It included subjects with COVID-19 hospitalized for moderate-severe illness, from 20/03/20 to 15/11/20. The TT and NT-proBNP obtained in the first 24 hours from admission were analysed. Altered TT was considered if ≥.014 ng/dl and altered NT-proBNP if ≥300 pg/ml. RESULTS: One hundred and eight subjects were included, 63.2% men, age 51.5 years (59-43), 28% were admitted to the Critical Unit and 25% died. The group with elevated TT presented higher mortality (OR = 3.1; 95%CI = 1.10-8.85; p = .02). The group with elevated NT-proBNP also show higher mortality (OR = 3.47; 95%CI = 1.21-9.97; p = .01). On multivariate analysis, only NT-proBNP ≥300 pg/ml remained an independent risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: NT-proBNP levels ≥300 pg/ml at admission in patients with moderate-severe COVID-19 were associated with higher mortality.