Causes of Death in COVID-19 Patients with Cardiac Injury

Abstract

Background: The causes of death in COVID-19 patients with cardiac injury are uncertain.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study and reviewed the electronic medical record of 109 deceased COVID-19 patients with cardiac injury on admission and 32 deceased COVID-19 patients without cardiac injury at two hospitals in Rhode Island.

Results: Among the 109 deceased COVID-19 patients who had cardiac injury on admission, 79 patients (72.5%) died of hypoxic respiratory failure, 21 patients (19.2%) of multi-organ failure and septic shock, 6 patients (5.5%) of cardiac arrhythmia, 3 patients (2.8%) of severe kidney failure as the immediate causes of death. We observed a similar pattern of distribution when compared to deceased patients without cardiac injury on admission (n=32).

Conclusion: The main causes of death of COVID-19 patients with cardiac injury were non-cardiac, mostly hypoxic respiratory failure. Cardiac-related arrhythmia only accounted for a small proportion of cases.

Keywords: COVID-19; admission-to-death time; cardiac injury; cause of death; hypoxic respiratory failure.