Mortality risk factors in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and atrial fibrillation: Data from the SEMI-COVID-19 registry.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation and associated comorbidities pose a risk factor for mortality, morbidity and development of complications in patients admitted for COVID-19. Objectives: To describe the clinical, epidemiological, radiological and analytical characteristics of patients with AF admitted for COVID-19 in Spain. Secondarily, we aim to identify those variables associated with mortality and poor prognosis of COVID-19 in patients with AF. Methods: Retrospective, observational, multicenter, nationwide, retrospective study of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 from March 1 to October 1, 2020. Data were obtained from the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) in which 150 Spanish hospitals participate. Results: Between March 1 and October 1, 2020, data from a total of 16,461 patients were entered into the SEMI-COVID-19 registry. 1,816 (11%) had a history of AF and the number of deaths among AF patients amounted to 738 (41%). Regarding clinical characteristics, deceased patients were admitted with a higher heart rate (88.38 vs 84.95; p > 0.01), with a higher percentage of respiratory failure (67.2% vs 20.1%; p < 0.01) and high tachypnea (58% vs 30%; p < 0.01). The comorbidities that presented statistically significant differences in the deceased group were: age, hypertension and diabetes with target organ involvement. There was also a higher prevalence of a history of cardiovascular disease in the deceased. On multivariate analysis, DOACs treatment had a protective role for mortality (OR:0,597) IC (0,402-0,888 ; p = 0.011). Conclusions: Previous treatment with DOACs and DOACs treatment during admission seem to have a protective role in patients with AF, although this fact should be verified in prospective studies.

Introducción: La fibrilación auricular y las comorbilidades asociadas a ella suponen un factor de riesgo de mortalidad, morbilidad y desarrollo de complicaciones en los pacientes ingresados por COVID-19. Objetivos: Describir las características clínicas, epidemiológicas, radiológicas y analíticas de los pacientes con FA ingresados por COVID-19 en España. De forma secundaria, se pretende identificar aquellas variables que se asocian con mortalidad y mal pronóstico de la COVID-19 en pacientes que presentan FA. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo, observacional y multicéntrico de ámbito nacional de pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19 desde el 1 de marzo al 1 de octubre de 2020. Los datos fueron obtenidos del Registro SEMI-COVID-19 de la Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI) en el que participan 150 hospitales españoles. Resultados: De un total de 16.461 pacientes en el registro SEMI-COVID-19, 1.816 (11%) tenían antecedente de FA y el número de fallecidos entre los pacientes con FA ascendió a 738 (41%). En cuanto a la clínica, los pacientes fallecidos ingresaron con una frecuencia cardíaca mayor (88,38 vs 84,95; p > 0,01), con mayor porcentaje de insuficiencia respiratoria (67,2% vs 20,1%; p < 0,01) y mayor taquipnea (58% vs 30%; p < 0,09). En el análisis multivariante, el tratamiento con ACOD tuvo un papel protector para la mortalidad por infección por COVID 19 (OR:0,597; IC (0,402-0,888; p = 0.011). Conclusiones: El tratamiento previo con ACOD como el tratamiento con ACOD durante el ingreso parecen tener un papel protector en los pacientes con FA, aunque este hecho debería ser comprobado con estudios prospectivos.

Mortality risk factors in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and atrial fibrillation: Data from the SEMI-COVID-19 registry. / Factores de riesgo de mortalidad en pacientes con infección por SARS-CoV-2 y fibrilación auricular: datos del registro SEMI-COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation and associated comorbidities pose a risk factor for mortality, morbidity and development of complications in patients admitted for COVID-19. OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical, epidemiological, radiological and analytical characteristics of patients with atrial fibrillation admitted for COVID-19 in Spain. Secondarily, we aim to identify those variables associated with mortality and poor prognosis of COVID-19 in patients with atrial fibrillation. METHODS: Retrospective, observational, multicenter, nationwide, retrospective study of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 from March 1 to October 1, 2020. Data were obtained from the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) in which 150 Spanish hospitals participate. RESULTS: Between March 1 and October 1, 2020, data from a total of 16,461 patients were entered into the SEMI-COVID-19 registry. 1816 (11%) had a history of atrial fibrillation and the number of deaths among AF patients amounted to 738 (41%). Regarding clinical characteristics, deceased patients were admitted with a higher heart rate (88.38 vs. 84.95; P>0.01), with a higher percentage of respiratory failure (67.2 vs. 20.1%; P<0.01) and high tachypnea (58 vs. 30%; P<0.01). The comorbidities that presented statistically significant differences in the deceased group were: age, hypertension and diabetes with target organ involvement. There was also a higher prevalence of a history of cardiovascular disease in the deceased. On multivariate analysis, DOACs treatment had a protective role for mortality (OR: 0.597; CI: 0.402-0.888; P=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Previous treatment with DOACs and DOACs treatment during admission seem to have a protective role in patients with atrial fibrillation, although this fact should be verified in prospective studies.

Prediction Accuracy of Serial Lung Ultrasound in COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients (Pred-Echovid Study).

The value of serial lung ultrasound (LUS) in patients with COVID-19 is not well defined. In this multicenter prospective observational study, we aimed to assess the prognostic accuracy of serial LUS in patients admitted to hospital due to COVID-19. The serial LUS protocol included two examinations (0-48 h and 72-96 h after admission) using a 10-zones sequence, and a 0 to 5 severity score. Primary combined endpoint was death or the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. Calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curves), and discrimination power (area under the ROC curve) of both ultrasound exams (SCORE1 and 2), and their difference (DIFFERENTIAL-SCORE) were performed. A total of 469 patients (54.2% women, median age 60 years) were included. The primary endpoint occurred in 51 patients (10.9%). Probability risk tertiles of SCORE1 and SCORE2 (0-11 points, 12-24 points, and ≥25 points) obtained a high calibration. SCORE-2 showed a higher discrimination power than SCORE-1 (AUC 0.72 (0.58-0.85) vs. 0.61 (0.52-0.7)). The DIFFERENTIAL-SCORE showed a higher discrimination power than SCORE-1 and SCORE-2 (AUC 0.78 (0.66-0.9)). An algorithm for clinical decision-making is proposed. Serial lung ultrasound performing two examinations during the first days of hospitalization is an accurate strategy for predicting clinical deterioration of patients with COVID-19.

A safe protocol to identify low-risk patients with COVID-19 pneumonia for outpatient management.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has made it necessary to rationalize health-care resources, but there is little published data at this moment regarding ambulatory management of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The objective of the study is to evaluate the performance of a protocol for ambulatory management of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia regarding readmissions, admission into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and deaths. Also, to identify unfavorable prognostic factors that increase the risk of readmission. This is a prospective cohort study of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia discharged from the emergency ward of Infanta Cristina Hospital (Madrid, Spain) that met the criteria of the hospital protocol for outpatient management. We describe outcomes of those patients and compare those who needed readmission versus those who did not. We use logistic regression to explore factors associated with readmissions. A total of 314 patients were included, of which 20 (6.4%) needed readmission, and none needed ICU admission nor died. At least one comorbidity was present in 29.9% of patients. Hypertension, leukopenia, lymphocytopenia, increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and increased aminotransferases were all associated with a higher risk of readmission. A clinical course of 10 days or longer, and an absolute eosinophil count over 200/µL were associated with a lower risk. After the multivariate analysis, only hypertension (OR 4.99, CI 1.54-16.02), temperature over 38 °C in the emergency ward (OR 9.03, CI 1.89-45.77), leukopenia (OR 4.92, CI 1.42-17.11) and increased LDH (OR 6.62, CI 2.82-19.26) remained significantly associated with readmission. Outpatient management of patients with low-risk COVID-19 pneumonia is safe, if adequately selected. The protocol presented here has allowed avoiding 30% of the admissions for COVID-19 pneumonia in our hospital, with a very low readmission rate and no mortality.