The study of the dynamics of clinical and laboratory-instrumental parameters in hypertensive patients with obesity who underwent COVID-19-associated pneumonia
Authors: Petelina T. I. , Musikhina N. A. , Garanina V. D. , Shcherbinina A. E. , Avdeeva K. S. , Valeeva L. L. , Kalugin A. S. , Kapustina A. A. , Suplotov S. N. , Leonovich S. V. , Zhevagina I. A. , Sapozhnikova A. D. , Yaroslavskaya E. I. , Gapon L. I. 
Published: April 2023

BACKGROUND: According  to the results of the ESSE-RF study, the frequency of obesity in the population  reached 29.7%. Obesity is one of the main risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Features of the course of COVID-19 in patients with obesity is a very urgent problem.

AIM: The aim of the study was a comparative investigation of clinical and laboratory-instrumental parameters in AH patients with or without obesity who had COVID-19 associated pneumonia, to identify the role of obesity as a potential predictor of post-COVID cardiovascular complications 3 months after discharge from the hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Materials and methods. The study included 174 patients with COVID-19-associated pneumonia. Group 1 included 78 patients with AH without obesity, group 2 — 96 patients with AH and obesity. All patients were tested with a blood sample at the time of admission and 3 months after discharge from the hospital. We assessed parameters of general blood test, biochemistry, hemostasis, inflammation biomarkers — concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP), highly sensitive CRP (hs-CRP), homocysteine, IL-6, etc. All patients initially underwent computed tomography  of the chest. In both groups, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring was performed using BPLaB device, according to the standard protocol; echocardiography using  an expert class ultrasound diagnostic  system Vivid S70. The study is registered with the Clinical Trials.gov database Identifier: NCT04501822.

RESULTS: Results. The biomarker that significantly distinguished the both groups of patients, as well as subgroups according to the degree of obesity was the concentration of maxCRP and hs-CRP, which was significantly higher in group 2. In addition, the registered maximum values of MPO, NT-proBNP, IL-1,6, TNA-α and NRL parameters in group 2 of patients with 2–3 degrees of obesity, may indicate the highest probability of developing  delayed adverse cardiovascular complications  in this group of patients. Mean systolic blood pressure, variability of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate at night were significantly  higher in AH patients with obesity. Numerous correlations of obesity with laboratory and instrumental parameters have been registered, which may indicate an increased likelihood of delayed unwanted cardiovascular complications in this particular group of patients. Multiple regression showed that obesity is an independent predictor of an increase in LDH, hs-CRP and right atrium.

CONCLUSION: Dynamic control of the studied parameters in patients with AH and OB registered an increased concentration of CRP at the initial stage and 3 months after treatment, with a general trend towards a decrease in the increased initial structural parameters of ECHO CG. The logistic regression method showed that the presence of OB in patients with AH is an independent factor causing increased levels of immune inflammation (CRP), a marker of tissue destruction (LDH), and load on the right atrium.