title: Does electrocardiography at admission predict outcome in Crimean -Congo hemorrhagic fever?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Crimean - Congo hemorrhagic fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever with considerable mortality. Despite increasing knowledge about hemorrhagic fever viruses, the pathogenesis of Crimean -Congo hemorrhagic fever and causes of death were not well described. We aimed to evaluate whether there were electrocardiographic parameters designating mortality among these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study was performed among confirmed Crimean -Congo hemorrhagic fever cases in Turkey. Electrocardiography was available in 49 patients within 24 h of hospitalization. All electrocardiograms were evaluated by two expert cardiologists according to Minnesota coding system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among patients with available electrocardiograms, there were 31 patients who survived, and 18 patients who died of Crimean - Congo hemorrhagic fever. Both groups were similar in terms of age, sex, body temperature, heart rate, and blood parameters. T-wave changes and bundle branch block were more frequently encountered among those who died. Presence of T-wave negativity or bundle branch block in this cohort of patients with Crimean -Congo hemorrhagic fever predicted death with a sensitivity of 72.7%, specificity of 92.6%, positive predictive value of 88.9%, negative predictive value of 80.6%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We think within the light of our findings that simple electrocardiography at admission may help risk stratification among Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, 58140 Sivas, Turkey. mehmet.birhan.yilmaz@tkd.org.tr
authors.forename: Mehmet Birhan
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Aynur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engin
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bektasoglu
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zorlu
authors.forename: Meltem Refiker
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ege
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakir
authors.forename: Ilyas
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dokmetas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever; D006479:Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey