Anticardiac antibodies in patients with severe and moderate COVID-19 (correlations with the clinical performance and prognosis)

The level and significance of anticardiac antibodies (ACA) in patients with COVID-19 infection have not yet been studied.
Aim. To assess the level of various ACA in patients with severe and moderate COVID-19 infection and to identify the correlation of antibody profile with the clinical performance and prognosis.
Material and methods. The study included 86 (38 women and 48 men) patients aged 20-90 years (60,2±16,6 years) who were hospitalized for moderate and severe COVID-19 infection in April-June 2020. Nasopharyngeal swab confirmed the disease in 59,3% of patients. In addition to the standard examination, electrocardiography and chest scan, level of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), antiendothelial cell antibodies (AECA), anti-cardiomyocyte antibodies, antibodies to anti-smooth muscles (ASMA) and cardiac conduction system fibers. Echocardiography was performed in 17 patients. Mean length of stay was 14 [12; 18] days. Death was considered as the primary endpoint.
Results. Prevalence of heart disease and symptoms (including hypertension and coronary artery disease) was 45,3%. The manifestations of coronavirus heart damage include arrhythmias (supraventricular premature beats, 3,6%; atrial fibrillation, 9,3%), heart failure (9,3%), low QRS voltage (11,4%), repolarization abnormalities (41,9%), pericardial effusion (30%). An increase in troponin levels was observed in low number of patients. All types of cardiovascular disease correlated with the maximum D-dimer level (AUC, 0,752, p<0,01). Titers of two or more types of ACA were increased by 3 or more times in 25 (73,5%) patients. Significant (p<0,05) correlations of ANA level with cardiovascular symptoms/diseases in general (r=0,459), anti-cardiomyocyte antibodies — with the prevalence of pneumonia (r=0,472), shortness of breath severity (r=0,370), respiratory failure (r=0,387), oxygen therapy (r=0,388) and mechanical ventilation (r=0,469), as well as the presence of chest pain (r=0,374), QRS voltage decrease (r=0,415), maximum level of CRP (r=0,360) and LDH (r=0,360). ANA and anti-cardiomyocyte antibody levels strongly correlated with pericardial effusion (r=0,721 and r=0,745, respectively, p<0,05). The mortality rate was 9,3%. Heart failure was one of the death causes in 37,5%. The level of anti-cardiomyocyte antibodies and ASMA correlated with mortality (r=0,363, and r=0,426, p<0,05) and had a predictive value. Mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease was 17,9%, without — 2,2% (p<0,05). The most powerful predictive model for COVID-19 adverse outcomes includes age, diabetes, oxygen therapy extent, maximum leukocyte, C-reactive protein and D-dimer levels. However, a model that includes only age, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease also has sufficient predictive power (correlation coefficient, 0,568, p<0,001).
Conclusion. An increase in ACA titers was detected in 73,5% of patients, correlated with mortality, in most cases reflects the general activity and severity of the disease and can be regarded as part of response in COVID-19. At the same time, a direct correlation with signs of myocardial damage, the presence and volume of pericardial effusion confirms the direct role of ACA in the development of myopericarditis.

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