IT IS SOMETHING MAKING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME VERSUS HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITHOUT METABOLIC SYNDROME IN SARS-COV-2 INFECTION?

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the clinical particularities and the lab tests in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome, versus hypertensive patients without metabolic syndrome, admitted for SARS-COV2 infection. Design and method: We performed a retrospective study on 217 patients admitted to a Clinical Emergency Hospital between January 2021 and October 2021. Results: We had 217 patients admitted in internal medicine clinic for infection with SARS-COV2 virus. Patients with hypertension and metabolic syndrome (subgroup 1, 93 patients) were aged between 37 and 91 years (average age of 69 years). Patients with hypertension without metabolic syndrome (subgroup 2, 55 patients) were aged between 47 and 97 (average age of 72 years). Gender distribution in subgroup 1 50% male, 50% female. In the subgroup 2, the gender distribution was 51.52% male, 48.48% female. At admission, the stages of SARS-COV2 infection in subgroup 1, according to CT examination, were severe in 54.41%, moderate in 27.94%, and mild in 17.64%, and in subgroup 2 were severe in 47.16%, moderate in 24.52%, and mild in 28.30%. As comorbidities in subgroup 1 cancer in 5.88%, chronic heart failure in 26.47% of cases, atherosclerosis in 55.88%, COPD in 7.35%, depression in 7.35% and dementia in 5.88% of cases. In subgroup 2 the comorbidities were cancer in 4.55% of patients, chronic heart failure in 36.36% of patients, atherosclerosis in 62.12%, COPD in 4.55%, depression in 3.03%, dementia in 10.61% of patients. High levels of the inflammatory markers in subgroup 1 CRP in 98.53% of cases, D-dimers in 85.29%, NT-proBNP in 76.34%, IL6 in 83.87%. In subgroup 2 high levels of CRP in 93.94% of cases, D-dimers in 84.85%, NT-proBNP in 69.09%, IL6 in 83.63%. Permanent atrial fibrillation was more prevalent in subgroup 2 (18.18% of cases) compared to subgroup 1 (9.67% of cases) while the prevalence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was higher in subgroup 1 (5.45% versus 8.60% of cases). Conclusions: Increased NT-proBNP and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation had a higher prevalence in patients with hypertension and metabolic syndrome for the same age group and degree of SARS-COV2 pulmonary infection.