Changes of the Electrical Axis of the Heart and Dyslipidemia as Possible Markers of Cardiovascular Damage in Patients after COVID-19

Aim: To study the correlation of laboratory and instrumental indicators with the severity of the COVID-19 and to assess the dynamics of changes of the lipid profile and the electrical axis of the heart of patients in the acute period of the disease and after recovery.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis of medical histories of 30 young patients (18–44 years) without cardiovascular diseases, who underwent two-stage treatment at the Military Medical Academy named after S.M. Kirov with diagnoses: «COVID-19, virus identified» (U07.1, ICD-10) and «Post COVID-19 condition» (U09.9, ICD-10) in the period from April to December 2021.

Results. The study found that individuals after COVID-19 had an increase in total cholesterol concentrations (6.51 [5.62–6.79] mmol/l), low-density lipoprotein (3.89 [3.34–4.52] mmol/l) and very low-density lipoprotein (1.06 ± 0.72 mmol/l) as opposed to acute period of COVID-19, where the lipid spectrum remained within normal values. In addition, an electrocardiogram analysis showed dynamics of the alpha angle changed from 42 ± 11 to 25 ± 17 degrees of patients after the elimination of SARS-CoV-2, with the deviation of the electrical axis of the heart to the left was detected of the first time in 5 (17%) patients after COVID-19.

Conclusion. Individuals after COVID-19, who have been identified for the first time as having dyslipidemia and deviation of the electrical axis of the heart to the left, as well as high levels of inflammation markers can be considered by candidates for high-tech imaging techniques to eliminate damage of the cardiovascular system.

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