Patients presenting with the coronavirus-2019 disease (COVID-19) have a very high risk of cardiovascular adverse events, including death from cardiovascular causes. Unfortunately, there are no reliable statistics on the frequency and severity of these complications during the index hospitalization. Moreover, the long-term cardiovascular outcomes of these patients are entirely unknown. The investigators aim to perform a registry of patients who have undergone a diagnostic nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 and determine their long-term cardiovascular outcomes.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has posed a significant threat to global
health. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been identified as a functional receptor
for coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 infection is triggered by
the binding of the virus spike protein to ACE2, which is highly expressed in the heart and
lungs.
There are multiple connections between COVID-19 and the cardiovascular system. First,
COVID-19 patients and pre-existing cardiovascular disease are at increased risk for serious
adverse events. Second, the infection has been associated with multiple direct and indirect
cardiovascular complications, such as acute myocardial injury, myocarditis, arrhythmias, and
thromboembolism. Third, the therapies under investigation for COVID-19 may have
cardiovascular side effects. There is clear scientific evidence linking COVID-19 with cardiac
damage, with a subsequent impact on mortality from any cause. The reasons for increased
mortality in patients with COVID-19 and heart damage are not fully understood.
The long-term prognosis for patients who have had COVID-19 is entirely unknown. Previous
experience with SARS-CoV suggests that both the underlying disease and its treatment could be
associated with a worse cardiovascular prognosis. In a study of 25 survivors of SARS-CoV, at
12 years of follow-up, altered lipid metabolism was found. Similarly, viral diseases such as
influenza A are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality after infection.
For the reasons stated above, the investigators consider that patients who presented COVID-19
have a high risk of long-term cardiovascular adverse events such as cardiac death, myocardial
infarction, stroke, heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias. To test this hypothesis, the
investigators aimed to perform a registry of patients who have undergone a diagnostic
nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 and determine their long-term cardiovascular outcomes.
Inclusion Criteria:
- ≥ 18 years
Exclusion Criteria:
- None
Hospital Clínic of Barcelona
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain