Prevalence and risk factors of myocardial injury in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective study

• Published in: The Medical journal of Malaysia
• Main Author: Siti Nurul Azimah M.J.; Laily Noor Zuliaty A.; Sharifah Shafinaz S.A.; Huzairi S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2025
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85215757723&partnerID=40&md5=542b8aaeb6da8aec5cd6050cb53cdc03

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) predominantly impacts the pulmonary system; however, it also has harmful consequences for the cardiovascular system through the occurrence of myocardial injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study analysed 119 COVID-19 patients admitted to Al-Sultan Abdullah Hospital (HASA) from March until December 2020. Demographics, medical histories, admission laboratory results, electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram (echo), were captured from the hospitals' health records. Myocardial injury is an injury to the myocardium that can be diagnosed by elevated cardiac troponin T or I level above the 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL), an abnormal ECG, and an abnormal echo. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 27. RESULTS: From this study, it was founded that the prevalence of myocardial injury is 36.1% (43 subjects out of 119). The risk factors are older age (odds ratio, 2.347; p=0.028), males (odds ratio, 2.019; p=0.125), Indians (odds ratio, 3.659; p=0.296), hypertension (odds ratio, 2.776; p=0.009), diabetes mellitus (odds ratio, 1.732; p=0.155) and category 4 and 5 COVID-19 patients (odds ratio, 2.325; p=0.038). CONCLUSION: Myocardial injury is prevalent among patients affected by COVID-19 and is associated with older age, hypertension and category 4 and 5 COVID-19. The researchers suggested conducting a more thorough investigation of the sizable population in multiple settings and conducting a prospective study where all infected COVID-19 patients have to undergo several tests, such as ECG, troponin T, and echocardiogram.