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ETHICS STATEMENT
Patients provided their consent for data analysis and submission
To the Editor,
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is still a global concern with elevated morbidity
and mortality.
1
,
2
,
3
Several drugs were evaluated, but, until now, only remdesivir (RDV), an inhibitor
of the viral RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase, was approved for COVID‐19 therapy.
4
,
5
Although RDV treatment was quite well described,
4
,
5
,
6
the knowledge about RDV‐related adverse events is still scarce and mostly limited
to case reports describing hepatotoxicity and skin reactions.
7
Here, we describe our experience about COVID‐19 treatment with RDV focusing on possible
RDV‐related cardiologic adverse events.
We retrospectively evaluated all the patients consecutively admitted to our ward with
a confirmed diagnosis of COVID‐19 from September 14th to October 14th, 2020. The study
population was divided into two groups, according to RDV administration (cases treated
with RDV were defined as patients, whereas cases who did not receive RDV were defined
as controls). We collected data about demographic and clinical characteristics, treatments,
and adverse events; heart rates (HRs) were collected three to six times per day according
to patients' clinical status. Clinical characteristics and laboratory data were collected
using an ad hoc case report form. Data selection was based on a previous work of this
group about risk factors for severe illness in COVID‐19 patients.
2
In the patients' group, we compared median HR during RDV administration with the median
HR of the 3 days before RDV administration and the median HR of the 3 days after RDV
administration. Moreover, we compared incidence of bradycardia between patients and
controls. RDV was administered according to the indications of the European Medicines
Agency (EMA)
8
as follows: 200 mg as loading dose on Day 1 and 100 mg on Days 2–5. Hyperimmune plasma
was administered in the context of a specific trial, the TSUNAMI Study. A positive
outcome was defined as clinical healing and/or discharge independent of microbiological
status, whereas a negative outcome was defined as exitus.
Forty‐six patients were observed in the study period, 20 patients and 26 controls.
Table 1 describes patients' and controls' clinical characteristics at admission and
outcomes. In particular, 15 patients and 10 controls had one cardiovascular disease
and 5 patients and 6 controls were chronically under treatment with low‐dose beta‐blockers;
no cardiac rhythm alterations nor other electrocardiograms (ECG) abnormalities were
detected in the whole study population. Table 2 shows treatments, HR, and outcomes
of the patients. Moreover, all the patients and the controls received low‐molecular‐weight
heparin according (LMWH) to the local standards, whereas 4 patients and 1 control
and 2 patients and 20 controls were also administered hyperimmune plasma and dexamethasone,
respectively. It is observed that in 12/20 patients, median HR significantly decreased
during RDV administration, and in 2 of them (Pt 1 and Pt 9), HR significantly increased
after its suspension. In all but Pt 4, Pt 11, Pt 12, and Pt 19, at least a tendency
of HR reduction was reported in association with RDV administration. No further cardiologic
alterations, especially ECG or blood pressure significative modifications, or other
clinically relevant conditions were observed. Patients remained completely asymptomatic.
Only Pt 6 had a negative outcome.
Table 1
Patients' and controls' characteristics at admission and outcomes
Study population
Patients
Controls
p
n = 46
n = 20
n = 26
Female sex, n (%)
21 (45.7)
7 (35)
14 (53.8)
>.1
Age (years), median (IQR)
64 (48.25–73.25)
66 (58–70.25)
58 (47–75.5)
>.1
CCI, median (IQR)
2 (1–4)
2.5 (1.75–4)
2 (0–4.75)
>.1
CVDa, n (%)
25 (54.6)
15 (75)
10 (38.5)
.019
Beta‐blockers, n (%)
12 (26.1)
5 (25)
6 (23.1)
>.1
Days onset–admission, median (IQR)
5 (3.25–7)
5 (4.75–7)
5.5 (3–7)
>.1
T ≥ 38°C, n (%)
6 (13)
3 (15)
3 (11.5)
1
PaO2/FiO2 < 300, n (%)
15 (32.6)
11 (55)
4 (15.4)
.01
C‐RP > 5 mg/dl, n (%)
25 (54.6)
16 (80)
4 (15.4)
.003
Lymphocytes < 800/mm3, n (%)
17 (37)
8 (40)
9 (34.6)
>.1
IL‐6 (pg/ml), median (IQR)
17.85 (6.75–54.475)
23.45 (8.75–63.375)
13.85 (4.575–49.975)
>.1
D‐dimer > 1000 ng/ml, n (%)
13 (28.3)
5 (25)
8 (30.8)
>.1
Bradycardia, n (%)
18 (39.1)
12 (60)
6 (23.1)
.016
Exitus, n (%)
5 (10.9)
1 (5)
4 (15.4)
>.1
Note: Bold values indicate statistically significant values.
Abbreviations: CCI, Charlson comorbidity index; CVD, cardiovascular diseases; Days
onset–admission, days from disease onset to hospital admission; T, temperature; C‐RP,
C‐reactive protein; IL‐6, interleukin 6.
a
Hypertension in 14 patients while Pt 3 had heart failure NYHA II; hypertension in
10 controls.
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This article is being made freely available through PubMed Central as part of the
COVID-19 public health emergency response. It can be used for unrestricted research
re-use and analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original
source, for the duration of the public health emergency.
Table 2
Patients' treatment, HR, and outcomes
Days to
Patient (gender‐age)
Therapy (+RDV)
HR before RDV median (IQR)
HR during RDV median (IQR)
p
a
HR after RDV median (IQR)
p
b
Apyrexia
Stop O2 therapy
Dischargec
Outcome
Pt 1 (M‐74)
DXM, HP, LMWH
60 (60–61)
52.5 (50–55)
.049
60 (54.5–70.75)
.025
1
7
7 (14)
Pos
Pt 2 (M‐69)
DXM, LMWH
81 (79–85)
68 (64.5–70.5)
<.01
70 (65–73)
>.1
1
18
19 (27)
Pos
Pt 3 (M‐65)
DXM, LMWH
60.5 (58–64.5)
55 (55–62)
>.1
69 (65.75–70.75)
<.01
0
9
10 (13)
Pos
Pt 4 (M‐54)
DXM, LMWH
63 (56.75–65.5)
67 (56.5–72)
>.1
69.5 (62.5–70.75)
>.1
1
13
13 (17)
Pos
Pt 5 (M‐47)
DXM, HP, LMWHd
81.5 (67.25–84)
62.5 (49.5–70.25)
.011
65 (59.5–68.5)
>.1
7
25d
16 (25)
Pos
Pt 6 (M‐82)
DXM, LMWHd
80.5 (78.5–81.75)
71 (59.5–75)
<.01
73 (62.75–81.75)
>.1
1
13d
13 (13)
Pos
Pt 7 (F‐59)
DXM, LMWH
65 (64–72)
59.5 (56–62.75)
<.01
69 (64.25–72)
.055
4
15
13 (17)
Pos
Pt 8 (M‐88)
DXM, LMWH
85 (81–88)
65 (59–67)
<.01
69.5 (63.25–73.75)
>.1
3
11
5 (24)
Pos
Pt 9 (M‐69)
DXM, LMWHd
65 (63–71.5)
50 (48–57)
.026
79 (75–84)
<.01
7
43d
33 (43)
Pos
Pt 10 (M‐69)
DXM, LMWH
77 (75.5–77)
65 (56.5–68)
.016
63 (58–66.5)
>.1
1
16
16 (16)
Pos
Pt 11 (M‐59)
DXM, LMWH
55 (54–63)
56 (52–60.5)
>.1
54 (53–57)
>.1
2
14
12 (15)
Pos
Pt 12 (F‐74)
DXM, LMWH
55 (55–65)
63 (55–65.5)
>.1
60 (58–66.5)
>.1
1
25
17 (28)
Pos
Pt 13 (F‐55)
DXM, HP, LMWH
68.5 (63.25–73.75)
64 (62–69)
>.1
80 (79–88)
<.01
2
14
8 (16)
Pos
Pt 14 (F‐64)
DXM, LMWH
74 (71.5–77.25)
71 (64.5–73.5)
>.1
68 (65.5–84.75)
>.1
0
9
6 (16)
Pos
Pt 15 (M‐46)
DXM, LMWH
85 (78–89)
73 (68.5–78)
.008
76.5 (74.25–79.5)
>.1
1
8
4 (10)
Pos
Pt 16 (F‐69)
DXM, HP, LMWH
73 (66.75–77.75)
65 (61.25–73)
>.1
72 (70–78)
>.1
1
10
9 (15)
Pos
Pt 17 (F‐67)
DXM, LMWH
73 (71–74)
60 (57–65)
.005
60 (59–63)
>.1
0
12
10 (12)
Pos
Pt 18 (M‐80)
DXM, LMWH
66.5 (63.75–71)
60 (57.75–62.5)
.012
48 (46.5–55)
.012
1
NA
17 (17)
Pos
Pt 19 (M‐63)
DXM, LMWHd
74.5 (69.75–79.25)
80 (72–81.75)
>.1
71 (66–75)
>.1
2
NAd
19 (19)
Pos
Pt 20 (F‐34)
DXM, LMWH
88 (76–92)
76 (70.5–82.5)
.03
85 (79.75–90.75)
.087
1
11
10 (12)
Pos
Note: Bold values indicate statistically significant values.
Abbreviations: CCI, Charlson Comorbidity Index; DEX, dexamethasone; F, female; HR,
heart rate; LMWH, low‐molecular‐weight heparin; M, male; NA, not available (patients
were discharged with the indication to continue O2 therapy at home); neg, negative;
pos, positive; Pt, patient; RDV, remdesivir.
a
Difference between median HR before RDV administration and median HR during RDV administration.
b
Difference between median HR during RDV administration and median HR after RDV administration.
c
Length of hospital stay and between brackets, length of hospital + intermediate/low‐care
facility stay.
d
Patients treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This article is being made freely available through PubMed Central as part of the
COVID-19 public health emergency response. It can be used for unrestricted research
re-use and analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original
source, for the duration of the public health emergency.
As shown in Table 1, bradycardia appeared to be more frequent in the patients' group
(60% vs. 23%, p = .016). To better understand this finding, a univariate and a multivariate
logistic regression was managed (Table 3). Both at univariate and multivariate analysis,
age > 65 years and RDV treatment were significantly associated with bradycardia.
Table 3
Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression assessing risk factors for
transient bradycardia
Univariate analysis
Multivariate analysis
OR (95% CI)
p
OR (95% CI)
p
Female sex
3.467 (0.969–12.398)
.056
3.655 (0.708–18.876)
.122
Age > 65 years
5 (1.393–17.943)
.014
18.618 (2.339–148.171)
.006
CVD
0.923 (0.281–3.034)
.895
9.472 (0.779–115.107)
.078
Beta‐blockers
2.368 (0.544–10.317)
.251
2.119 (0.232–19.384)
.506
T ≥ 38°C
3.714 (0.604–22.867)
.157
Lymphocytes < 800/mm3
0.773 (0.224–2.668)
.683
C‐RP > 5 mg/dl
3.467 (0.969–12.398)
.056
2.973 (0.449–19.665)
.258
D‐dimer > 1000 ng/ml
0.7 (0.19–2.58)
.592
RDV therapy
5 (1.393–17.943)
.014
6.915 (1.007–47.499)
.049
PaO2/FiO2 < 300
2.057 (0.575–7.364)
.268
Note: Bold values indicate statistically significant values.
Abbreviations: CI, confidential interval; C‐RP, C‐reactive protein; CVD, cardiovascular
diseases, OR, odds ratio; RDV, remdesivir; T, temperature.
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This article is being made freely available through PubMed Central as part of the
COVID-19 public health emergency response. It can be used for unrestricted research
re-use and analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original
source, for the duration of the public health emergency.
RDV was shown to reduce the recovery time from COVID‐19, with no effect on mortality
rates,
9
and it was recently approved by EMA.
8
Although some studies were published on this field and many others are ongoing, our
knowledge about RDV tolerability is still scarce; hepatotoxicity and skin reactions
were the only adverse events described at the moment.
7
On the contrary, such events were not observed in our study. Moreover, we noticed
a tendency to develop bradycardia during RDV treatment. Bradycardia tended to resolve
after RDV discontinuation. These HR variations reached the threshold of statistical
significance in some cases (Table 2). Moreover, incidence of bradycardia was higher
in the patients' group and its association with RDV administration was confirmed also
by multivariate logistic regression.
In our experience, bradycardia did not induce any consequences of clinical relevance:
patients were asymptomatic, blood pressure remained in the normal range, and no ECG
alterations were observed. However, this phenomenon appeared to be worthy of consideration,
especially in patients who were chronically under treatment with bradycardia‐inducing
drugs such as beta‐blockers.
To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first report of potential RDV‐related
bradycardia. As a consequence, we are not able to provide a full “pathogenetic” explanation.
This study has some limitations, such as the limited sample size and its observational
design. Nevertheless, it pointed out a new aspect of RDV treatment that could be of
clinical interest.
In conclusion, a potential—at least time—association between bradycardia and RDV administration
was observed. Clinicians should be aware of this potential RDV side effect. More extensive
studies are necessary to clarify this finding.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
Carlo Pallotto has received funds for speaking at symposia organized on behalf of
Merck, Angelini, and Bristol Myers Squibb.
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Carlo Pallotto, Andrea Gabbuti, and Lorenzo Mecocci conceived the study. Carlo Pallotto,
Lorenzo R. Suardi, and Sara Esperti collected data. Carlo Pallotto drafted the manuscript.
Carlo Pallotto, Andrea Gabbuti, Lorenzo Mecocci, and Pierluigi Blanc revised the manuscript.
Carlo Pallotto and Pierluigi Blanc supervised the study. All Authors approved the
final version of the manuscript to be submitted.