ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We aim to compare the diameters of ascending aorta in COVID-19 patients and COVID-19-free individuals referred to our pandemic hospital. METHODS: The medical records and thorax tomographies of patients admitted to the "pandemic central" state hospital with symptoms of COVID-19 were observed between April 2020 and May 2020 in this case-control study. The first group consisted of patients diagnosed with COVID-19, and the second group consisted of patients without the disease. The diameter of the ascending aorta is measured via tomography and compared to each other. The most causative risk factors for aortic enlargements underwent a multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Charts of 156 patients (104 COVID-19 positives, 52 COVID-19 negatives) were reviewed. There was a statistical difference (p: .01) between the mean aortic diameter of COVID-19 patients (39 mm) and COVID-free patients (32.5 mm) even though comorbid factors and patient characteristics were similar in the two groups at the time of hospital admission. The regression analysis result demonstrates that COVID-19 (leading factor), age, and coronary artery disease were the most significant factors associated with increasing aortic dimensions. (p: .001, B: 5.3/, p: .02, B: 3.36/, p: .002, B: 0.13/, R square: 40.2%). CONCLUSION: This study shows that the mean aortic diameter of COVID-19 patients is larger than non-COVID-19 patients with similar comorbidities referred to a pandemic hospital. COVID-19, age, and coronary artery disease are the most influential factors that affect the aortic diameter, and the COVID-19 was the leading factor.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: The aim of the study was to clarify public interest about cardiovascular disease during the COVID-19 pandemic using Google Trends (GT). Methods: The study was performed between November 20 and December 1, 2021. A total of 21 keywords related to cardiovascular surgery were selected. Public attention to all selected keywords was analyzed by GT with using the filters "web search," "all categories," and "Turkey." In Turkey, three COVID-19 waves (between March 12, 2020, and May 8, 2020, November 24, 2020, and January 20, 2021, and March 20, 2021, and May 16, 2021) were experienced since the beginning of the pandemic. To analyze public attention to cardiovascular surgery during the COVID-19 waves, 8-week periods during the COVID-19 waves were compared with the same times in the past 4 years (2016-2019). Results: Comparisons of March 12-May 8 2020 and the same period between 2016 and 2019 showed that total public interest about cardiovascular surgery was significantly decreased (-28.7%, p=0.001). The comparison of the second COVID-19 wave (November 24, 2020-January 20, 2021 versus November 24-January 20, 2016-2019) revealed that public interest about cardiovascular surgery was significantly lower in the COVID-19 era (-22.2%, p=0.001). Comparison of the third COVID-19 wave and the same periods in the previous 4 years demonstrated that public interest about cardiovascular disease was significantly lower in the COVID-19 era (-8.5%, p=0.001). In contrast, the term coronary angiography was searched significantly more during the third wave of COVID-19 in comparison to the same periods between 2016 and 2019 (17.9%, p=0.015). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that public interest in cardiovascular diseases was significantly decreased in all waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, interest in only the term coronary angiography was significantly increased in the third wave of pandemic.