TABLE 2.
Changes in laboratory and electrocardiographic parameters in patients with COVID-19 (n = 33), during active disease and after therapeutic interventions resulting in a >60% decrease in IL-6 level when compared to the baseline.
| Active | Recovery | p | |
| CRP, mg/dl (r.v. < 0.5) | 7.4 (9.8) | 0.6 (1.1) | <0.001 |
| IL-6, pg/ml (r.v. < 7.1 pg/ml) | 28.2 (31.2) | 2.7 (3.4) | <0.001 |
| QT,ms | 400 (65) | 413 (33.5) | 0.13 |
| RR,ms | 800 (181) | 968 (173) | <0.001 |
| QRS,ms | 94 (16) | 97 (17.5) | 0.13 |
| Patients with bundle branch block, n | 1 (3%) | 1 (3%) | 1.0 |
| Heart rate, bpm | 75 (18.5) | 62 (11.5) | <0.001 |
| QTc, ms | 441 (39) | 417 (32) | <0.001 |
| Patients with prolonged QTc*, n | 9 (26%) | 2 (6%) | 0.027 |
| Patients with QTc > 500 ms, n | 2 (6%) | 0 (0%) | 0.49 |
| QTc-Fridericia, ms | 426 (34) | 411 (30) | 0.010 |
| QTc-Framingham, ms | 427 (33) | 412 (29) | 0.012 |
| Mean QT-drugs number per patient | 1.0 ± 0.8 | 1.6 ± 0.9 | 0.31 |
| Potassium, mEq/L (r.v.3.5–5.5) | 4.1 (0.8) | 4.3 (0.7) | 0.22 |
| Calcium, mg/dl (r.v.8–11) | 9.1 (8.8) | 9.3 (9.) | 0.23 |
| Magnesium, mg/dl (r.v.1.5–2.5) | 2.1 (0.4) | 2.2 (0.4) | 0.96 |
| Troponin, ng/ml (r.v. < 15) | 10.5 (13) | 8.0 (13.9) | 0.08 |
| Patients with increased troponin, n | 11 (33%) | 9 (27%) | 0.79 |
| BNP, pg/ml (r.v. < 500) | 176.8 (493.0) | 153.0 (53.0) | 0.50 |
| Patients with increased BNP, n | 8 (24%) | 7 (21%) | 1.0 |
| Creatinine, mg/dl (r.v.0.7–1.2) | 0.77 (0.31) | 0.76 (0.21) | 0.10 |
| paO2, mmHg (r.v.70–100) | 78.0 (43.4) | 93.6 (47.4) | 0.33 |
| paCO2 mmHg (r.v. 35–45) | 35.0 (5.2) | 35.3 (7.0) | 0.80 |
| pH (r.v.7.35–7.45) | 7.46 (0.10) | 7.45 (0.00) | 0.83 |
| P/F (r.v. > 4.0) | 1.9 (1.4) | 2.4 (2.0) | 0.009 |
CRP, C-reactive protein; IL-6, interleukin-6; QT, QT interval; RR, RR interval; QTc, heart rate-corrected QT interval based on the Bazett’s formula; QTc-Fridericia, heart rate-corrected QT interval based on the Fridericia’s formula; QTc-Framingham, heart rate-corrected QT interval based on the Framingham’s formula; BNP, brain natriuretic peptide; P/F, paO2/FiO2 ratio; r.v.: reference values.
Values are expressed as median (interquartile range) or mean ± standard deviation. Differences were evaluated by the two-tailed Student’s paired “t” test or the two-tailed Wilcoxon matched pairs test.
*Men > 450 ms; Women > 470 ms.