Published online Sep 25, 2022. doi: 10.5501/wjv.v11.i5.375
Peer-review started: April 25, 2022
First decision: May 31, 2022
Revised: June 12, 2022
Accepted: August 10, 2022
Article in press: August 10, 2022
Published online: September 25, 2022
Processing time: 152 Days and 9.3 Hours
Cardiovascular complications have been increasingly recognized in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Cardiac biomarkers are released because of this ongoing cardiovascular injury and can act as surrogate markers to assess the disease severity.
To review the variation and utility of these biomarkers in COVID-19 to ascertain their role in diagnosis, prognosis and clinical outcomes of the disease.
We performed a literature search in PubMed, Medline and the Reference Citation Analysis (RCA), using the search terms “COVID-19” and “cardiac bioenzymes” or “cardiac biomarkers”. Additionally, we also used the latest reference citation analysis tool to identify more articles.
Cardiac troponin has been consistently elevated in patients with COVID-19 associated myocarditis, and strongly correlated with adverse prognosis. Natri-uretic peptides including brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and pro-BNP is elevated in patients with COVID-19 associated cardiac injury, irrespective of their prior heart failure status, and independently correlated with worst outcomes. Alongside these traditional biomarkers, novel cardiac bioenzymes including presepsin, soluble ST2 and copeptin, are also increasingly recognized as markers of cardiovascular injury in COVID-19 and can be associated with poor outcomes.
Assessment of cardiac bioenzymes at admission and their serial monitoring can help assess the severity of disease and predict mortality in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Future studies are needed to elude the critical importance of novel biomarkers.
Core Tip: Cardiac bioenzymes act as surrogate markers for various cardiovascular complications associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Cardiac bioenzymes at admission and their serial monitoring can help assess the disease severity and predict mortality in patients with COVID-19. This review summarizes the role of these bioenzymes in diagnosis, prognosis and clinical implications on outcomes of various cardiovascular complications associated with COVID-19.