Retrospective Cohort Study: Severe COVID-19 Leads to Permanent Blunted Heart Rate Turbulence
<b>Background:</b> Heart rate turbulence (HRT) is a non-invasive technique that can be used to evaluate autonomic nervous system (ANS) function and cardiac arrhythmia. The objective of this study is to investigate whether COVID-19 can lead to long-term blunted HRT following recovery. <...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| author | Mücahid Yılmaz Çetin Mirzaoğlu |
| author_facet | Mücahid Yılmaz Çetin Mirzaoğlu |
| author_sort | Mücahid Yılmaz |
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| description | <b>Background:</b> Heart rate turbulence (HRT) is a non-invasive technique that can be used to evaluate autonomic nervous system (ANS) function and cardiac arrhythmia. The objective of this study is to investigate whether COVID-19 can lead to long-term blunted HRT following recovery. <b>Methods:</b> This retrospective cohort study included 253 individuals with a confirmed history of COVID-19, referred to as the recovered COVID-19 group, along with 315 healthy participants who had no history of the virus. The recovered COVID-19 group was categorized into three subgroups based on their chest CT severity scores. The HRT analyses were obtained from a 24-h electrocardiography-Holter recording. <b>Results:</b> This study revealed that the HRT onset value was elevated in the recovered COVID-19 group, while the HRT slope value showed a significant decrease when compared to the control group. Correlation analyses indicated a positive relationship between the chest CT severity score and HRT onset, whereas a negative correlation was observed between the chest CT severity score and HRT slope. Regression analyses identified recovery from severe COVID-19, chest CT severity score, hypertension (HT), and smoking as independent predictors of both abnormal HRT onset and the existence of an abnormal HRT slope. <b>Conclusions:</b> Individuals who have recovered from severe COVID-19 are expected to encounter a permanent blunting of HRT, which is regarded as a significant indicator of an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and impaired autonomic nervous system (ANS) function. Recovered severe COVID-19 individuals should be carefully evaluated for HRT with 24-h ECG-Holter. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-aead677d619343729d4dbd4e77bbbec32025-08-20T02:04:36ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182025-03-0115562110.3390/diagnostics15050621Retrospective Cohort Study: Severe COVID-19 Leads to Permanent Blunted Heart Rate TurbulenceMücahid Yılmaz0Çetin Mirzaoğlu1Department of Cardiology, Elazığ Fethi Sekin City Hospital, University of Health Sciences, 23280 Elazığ, TurkeyDepartment of Cardiology, Elazığ Fethi Sekin City Hospital, University of Health Sciences, 23280 Elazığ, Turkey<b>Background:</b> Heart rate turbulence (HRT) is a non-invasive technique that can be used to evaluate autonomic nervous system (ANS) function and cardiac arrhythmia. The objective of this study is to investigate whether COVID-19 can lead to long-term blunted HRT following recovery. <b>Methods:</b> This retrospective cohort study included 253 individuals with a confirmed history of COVID-19, referred to as the recovered COVID-19 group, along with 315 healthy participants who had no history of the virus. The recovered COVID-19 group was categorized into three subgroups based on their chest CT severity scores. The HRT analyses were obtained from a 24-h electrocardiography-Holter recording. <b>Results:</b> This study revealed that the HRT onset value was elevated in the recovered COVID-19 group, while the HRT slope value showed a significant decrease when compared to the control group. Correlation analyses indicated a positive relationship between the chest CT severity score and HRT onset, whereas a negative correlation was observed between the chest CT severity score and HRT slope. Regression analyses identified recovery from severe COVID-19, chest CT severity score, hypertension (HT), and smoking as independent predictors of both abnormal HRT onset and the existence of an abnormal HRT slope. <b>Conclusions:</b> Individuals who have recovered from severe COVID-19 are expected to encounter a permanent blunting of HRT, which is regarded as a significant indicator of an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and impaired autonomic nervous system (ANS) function. Recovered severe COVID-19 individuals should be carefully evaluated for HRT with 24-h ECG-Holter.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/5/621recovery from severe COVID-19blunted heart rate turbulenceautonomic nervous system disorderventricular arrhythmia |
| spellingShingle | Mücahid Yılmaz Çetin Mirzaoğlu Retrospective Cohort Study: Severe COVID-19 Leads to Permanent Blunted Heart Rate Turbulence Diagnostics recovery from severe COVID-19 blunted heart rate turbulence autonomic nervous system disorder ventricular arrhythmia |
| title | Retrospective Cohort Study: Severe COVID-19 Leads to Permanent Blunted Heart Rate Turbulence |
| title_full | Retrospective Cohort Study: Severe COVID-19 Leads to Permanent Blunted Heart Rate Turbulence |
| title_fullStr | Retrospective Cohort Study: Severe COVID-19 Leads to Permanent Blunted Heart Rate Turbulence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Retrospective Cohort Study: Severe COVID-19 Leads to Permanent Blunted Heart Rate Turbulence |
| title_short | Retrospective Cohort Study: Severe COVID-19 Leads to Permanent Blunted Heart Rate Turbulence |
| title_sort | retrospective cohort study severe covid 19 leads to permanent blunted heart rate turbulence |
| topic | recovery from severe COVID-19 blunted heart rate turbulence autonomic nervous system disorder ventricular arrhythmia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/5/621 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mucahidyılmaz retrospectivecohortstudyseverecovid19leadstopermanentbluntedheartrateturbulence AT cetinmirzaoglu retrospectivecohortstudyseverecovid19leadstopermanentbluntedheartrateturbulence |