Correlation between Cardiac Output and Disease Severity in Intubated COVID-19 Patients: Insights from Ultrasonic Cardiac Output Monitoring in Intensive Care Unit Settings

Abstract

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions globally, and still continues to do so. Regarding the cardiovascular influences of COVID-19, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between cardiac indices, particularly cardiac output (CO), and severity of disease. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on intubated COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The study involved analyzing data from mechanically ventilated patients, excluding those with preexisting cardiovascular or pulmonary comorbidities. Hemodynamic parameters were evaluated by ultrasonic cardiac output monitoring (USCOM), and the severity of disease was evaluated by acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scoring systems. Results: The study included 41 patients, predominantly male with an average age of 63.1 years. Hemodynamic parameters and scores were reported for 6 days. This showed significant changes in CO, SOFA, and APACHE II over time (with P = 0.02, 0.04, 0.03, respectively). A negative correlation was found between CO and both SOFA and APACHE II scores (P < 0.05), indicating that as CO increased, the severity scores decreased. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of continuous hemodynamic monitoring in ICU settings for COVID-19 patients. The correlation between CO and severity scores suggests that USCOM, along with APACHE II and SOFA, can be crucial in assessing the dynamic clinical state of patients, contributing to better management and potentially improving outcomes.