Objectives: COVID-19 has been the primary health problem and because of the virus affinity to endothelial cells, it has become an important reason of vascular problems and cardiac injury. After mild COVID-19 infection, patients frequently attend to the cardiology clinics with cardiac symptoms and their primary cardiac tests are mostly normal. The aim of the study is analysing if the difference of cardiac deterioration could be shown with 2D-speckle tracking echocardiography between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients when transthoracic echocardiography parameters are normal. Methods: In this retrospective single centre study, total of 2741 transthoracic echocardiography records were assessed and post-COVID patients (n:108) were detected and divided into ‘symptomatic’ and asymptomatic’ patient groups and left ventricular global longitudinal strain values were compared. Results: The number of patients with normal global longitudinal strain values were equal in the groups and the number of patients with impaired GLS values in the symptomatic group were more than the asymptomatic group (15 patients in the symptomatic group and 4 patients in the asymptomatic group) and the difference was statistically different (p=0,008). The average GLS values were -18,88±2,50 in the asymptomatic group and -17,40±3,68 in symptomatic group but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0,098) Conclusion: More symptomatic patients than the asymptomatic ones have impaired left ventricular GLS values according to the results of this study. Even if it is not statistically significant, the mean left ventricular GLS values are also reduced in symptomatic patients after mild COVID-19 infection.

Background: We described the QTc interval prolongation and related adverse cardiac events during the administration of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and its combinations for treatment of COVID-19. Methods: The hospitalized patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and received HCQ with initial and follow up ECGs from March 10th to May 30th were included. The critical QTc prolongation was accepted as QTc >500 ms if QRS<120ms and >550 ms if QRS >120 ms or ∆QTc levels >60 ms when compared with the initial ECG. Primary outcomes were critical QTc prolongation, ventricular tachyarrhythmia, and sudden cardiac arrest. Results: Out of 336 hospitalized patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, 297 received HCQ, and 94 met the inclusion criteria, and 66 cases were included in final analysis. The mean baseline QTc was 444.5 (sd= 39.5) ms. In total, 63% of the patients’ QTc levels increased under HCQ treatment and critical QTc prolongation occurred in 8 cases (12%) all of whom were male. The male gender (p=0.033), DM (p=0.035) and oseltamivir use (p=0.047) were significantly associated with critical QTc prolongation. In multivariate analysis, DM (OR:5.8, %95 Cl:1.11-30.32, p:0.037), and concomitant use of oseltamivir (OR:5.3, %95 Cl:1,02-28, p:0.047) were found to be associated with critical QTc prolongation. Conclusion: Critical QTc prolongation was detected in 12% of the patients. The DM and concomitant oseltamivir use were associated with critical QTc prolongation. The use of concurrent drugs that have potential to enhance QTc interval should be kept in mind and special attention should be paid for ECG monitoring.

Background: We described the QTc interval prolongation and related adverse cardiac events during the administration of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and its combinations for treatment of COVID-19. Methods: The hospitalized patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and received HCQ with initial and follow up ECGs from March 10th to May 30th were included. The critical QTc prolongation was accepted as QTc >500 ms if QRS<120ms and >550 ms if QRS >120 ms or ∆QTc levels >60 ms when compared with the initial ECG. Primary outcomes were critical QTc prolongation, ventricular tachyarrhythmia, and sudden cardiac arrest. Results: Out of 336 hospitalized patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, 297 received HCQ, and 94 met the inclusion criteria, and 66 cases were included in final analysis. The mean baseline QTc was 444.5 (sd= 39.5) ms. In total, 63% of the patients’ QTc levels increased under HCQ treatment and critical QTc prolongation occurred in 8 cases (12%) all of whom were male. The male gender (p=0.033), DM (p=0.035) and oseltamivir use (p=0.047) were significantly associated with critical QTc prolongation. In multivariate analysis, DM (OR:5.8, %95 Cl:1.11-30.32, p:0.037), and concomitant use of oseltamivir (OR:5.3, %95 Cl:1,02-28, p:0.047) were found to be associated with critical QTc prolongation. Conclusion: Critical QTc prolongation was detected in 12% of the patients. The DM and concomitant oseltamivir use were associated with critical QTc prolongation. The use of concurrent drugs that have potential to enhance QTc interval should be kept in mind and special attention should be paid for ECG monitoring.