New-onset myocardial injury in pregnant patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a case series of 15 patients

Abstract

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is the new coronavirus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome and atypical pneumonia. In nonpregnant women, studies have shown that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causes cardiac injury, which can result in myocardial inflammation and damage. Despite many studies investigating the extent of cardiac compromise in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019, little is known regarding its impact on pregnant women.

Objective: This study aimed to illustrate the clinical, laboratory, radiologic findings and outcomes of pregnant patients with coronavirus disease 2019 who developed myocardial injury with ventricular dysfunction.

Study design: We retrospectively reviewed the paper records of 15 pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019, who developed myocardial injury on a single tertiary care hospital in the Dominican Republic. Patients' baseline characteristics, clinical picture, and laboratory and radiologic findings were presented, and maternal and fetal outcomes were analyzed.

Results: Of 154 pregnant patients diagnosed as having coronavirus disease 2019 at our hospital during the study period, 15 (9.7%), developed myocardial injury. These patients' mean age and gestational age were 29.87±5.83 and 32.31±3.68, respectively. Furthermore, 66.7% of patients presented with shortness of breath and 16.3% with palpitations. All patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, and 86.6% needed intubation. Patients developed myocardial injury, confirmed with highly elevated troponin (34.6 [14.4-55.5 ng/mL]), and pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations (209 [184-246 pg/mL]). In addition, all patients developed left ventricular dysfunction demonstrated by an echocardiogram with a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 37.67±6.4. Unfortunately, 2 patients who presented with palpitations died a few days after admission.

Conclusion: Our study showed coronavirus disease 2019 induced myocardial injury and left ventricular dysfunction in pregnant women with a 13.3% mortality rate, which was attributed to malignant arrhythmias.

Keywords: cardiovascular disease; coronavirus; coronavirus disease 2019; myocardial injury; pregnancy; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; ventricular dysfunction.