Short- and long-term survival of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in relation to cardiovascular risk factors and established cardiovascular disease: the Cor-Cardio study

Abstract

Introduction: The clinical presentation of COVID‑19 may range from asymptomatic infection to severe disease. Previous studies reported a relationship between the course of COVID‑19 and a history of cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD).

Objectives: We aimed to analyze the influence of CV risk factors, established CVD, and treatment with CV drugs on short- and long‑term survival in patients hospitalized for COVID‑19.

Patients and methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of patients hospitalized in 13 COVID‑19 hospitals in Poland (between March and October 2020). Individual deaths during the follow‑up were recorded until March 2021.

Results: Overall, 2346 patients with COVID‑19 were included (mean age, 61 years; 50.2% women). A total of 341 patients (14.5%) died during the hospitalization, and 95 (4.7%) died during the follow‑up. Independent predictors of in‑hospital death were older age, a history of established CVD, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease (CKD), while treatment with renin‑angiotensin‑aldosterone system blockers or statins was associated with a lower risk of death during hospitalization. Factors that independently predicted death during the follow‑up were older age, a history of established CVD, CKD, and a history of cancer. The presence of CV risk factors did not increase the odds of death either in the hospital or during the follow‑up. Of note, higher systolic blood pressure and oxygen blood saturation on admission were associated with better short- and long‑term prognosis.

Conclusion: Established CVD and CKD were the main predictors of mortality during both the hospitalization and the follow‑up in the patients hospitalized for COVID‑19, while the use of CV drugs during the hospitalization was associated with better prognosis. The presence of CV risk factors did not increase the odds of in‑hospital and postdischarge death.