Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a non-COVID-19 epicenter.

Link to article at PubMed

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Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a non-COVID-19 epicenter.

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2020 Jun 01;:

Authors: Hammad TA, Parikh M, Tashtish N, Lowry CM, Gorbey D, Forouzandeh F, Filby SJ, Wolf WM, Costa MA, Simon DI, Shishehbor MH

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We sought to study the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation delay, severity, patterns of care, and reasons for delay among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a non-hot-spot region.
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced the activations for STEMI in epicenters like Spain.
METHODS: From January 1, 2020, to April 15, 2020, 143 STEMIs were identified across our integrated 18-hospital system. Pre- and post-COVID-19 cohorts were based on March 23rd, 2020, whenstay-at-home orders were initiated in Ohio. We used presenting heart rate, blood pressure, troponin, new Q-wave, and left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) to assess severity. Duration of intensive care unit stay, total length of stay, door-to-balloon (D2B) time, and radial versus femoral access were used to assess patterns of care.
RESULTS: Post-COVID-19 presentation was associated with a lower admission LVEF (45 vs. 50%, p = .015), new Q-wave, and higher initial troponin; however, these did not reach statistical significance. Among post-COVID-19 patients, those with >12-hr delay in presentation 31(%) had a longer average D2B time (88 vs. 53 min, p = .033) and higher peak troponin (58 vs. 8.5 ng/ml, p = .03). Of these, 27% avoided the hospital due to fear of COVID-19, 18% believed symptoms were COVID-19 related, and 9% did not want to burden the hospital during the pandemic.
CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 has remarkably affected STEMI presentation and care. Patients' fear and confusion about symptoms are integral parts of this emerging public health crisis.

PMID: 32478961 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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