Clinical and anamnestic characteristics of patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction after COVID-19

Abstract

Aim. To study clinical, medical history and paraclinical characteristics of patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Material and methods. The study included 209 patients with NSTEMI who were admitted to the Demikhov City Clinical Hospital (Moscow). The patients were divided into 2 groups: the experimental one (n=104) — those after COVID-19, the control one (n=105) — those without history of COVID-19. All patients underwent routine diagnostic investigations in accordance with current standards and clinical guidelines.Results. The mean age of patients in the experimental group was 61,8±12,2 years, while in the control one — 69,0±13,0 years (p<0,0001). Myocardial infarction developed 49 days [34.0; 82.0] after COVID-19. Prior exertional angina was observed in 76,9% of patients in the experimental group and in 88,6% in the control one (χ2 =4,97; p=0,0258). The level of C-reactive protein in the experimental group was 19,2 mg/l [4,9; 53,0], and in the control one — 5,6 mg/l [0,4; 21,8] (p=0,0007). The average troponin I level in the experimental group was 2,7 ng/ml [1,3; 8,0], while in the control one — 1,8 ng/ml [0,8; 3,5] (p=0,0091).Conclusion. Patients with NSTEMI after COVID-19 were significantly younger compared to patients without a history of COVID-19. They had less common exertional angina prior to MI, while C-reactive protein and troponin I levels were significantly higher than in the control group. In addition, in NSTEMI patients after COVID-19, the estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure was significantly higher compared to patients without a history of COVID-19.