NPPB and COVID-19: In addition, we assessed a cohort of patients who had been admitted to intensive care units because of severe COVID-19 (defined COVID-19) on the second day after admission.44 Of note, these patients did not present with cardiac symptoms or displayed severe sign of cardiac damage, as measured by BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T values (Table S1).