Effect of ARDS on cardiac function and frequency of cardiac arrhythmias

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), is a syndrome of inflammatory lung damage, where, according to the Berlin definition, diagnostic criteria are its onset within one week, worsening severe hypoxemia, imaging findings and the defined origin of edema. ARDS is a high morbidity and mortality syndrome. Mortality ranges from 46% to 60%.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ARDS on the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias in patient’s treatment in Intensive Care Unit.

Material -Method: This was a retrospective research study, the sample of which was 50 patients   with ARDS on mechanical respiratory support, who were hospitalized in ICU covid-19 of a large provincial Hospital, during the period August 2021 to January 2022. The sample was collected based on the rules of random sampling. The data collection sheet included the following parameters: patient demographics, marital status, duration of hospitalization, personal history and comorbidities, mechanical ventilation conditions, blood gases, medication, episodes and type of arrhythmias. Statistical analysis was performed at a significance level of p=0.05.

Results: Fifty patients with ARDS participated in the study. Twenty-two patients (44%) were male and 28 (56%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 66.6 (13.92) years, with a mean ICU stay of 14.38 (10.48) days. The correlation study showed that 17.9% of patients with severe ARDS at ICU admission and 50% with moderate ARDS were associated with the presence of PVC arrhythmia (ρ=6.63, p=0.036), 50% of patients with severe ARDS during ICU stay and 9.1% with moderate ARDS was associated with having hypo-hyperthyroidism (ρ=11.19, p=0.004).

Conclusions: In conclusion, the results showed that the severity of ARDS was not affected by the different types throughout the patient's stay in the ICU. Factors such as age and gender did not appear to interact with the PO2/FiO2 ratio, in contrast this ratio appeared to be influenced by the days of the patient's hospitalization.

Keywords: COVID-19, ARDS, Arrhythmia