Epidemiology and Management of ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Patients With COVID-19: A Report From the American Heart Association COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry

Effects of SARS-COV-2 infection on outcomes in patients hospitalized for acute cardiac conditions. A prospective, multicenter cohort study (Swiss Cardiovascular SARS-CoV-2 Consortium)

Background

Although the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) primarily affects the respiratory system, the disease entity has been associated with cardiovascular complications. This study sought to assess the effect of concomitant SARS-COV-2 infection on clinical outcomes of patients hospitalized primarily for acute cardiac conditions on cardiology wards in Switzerland.

Methods

In this prospective, observational study conducted in 5 Swiss cardiology centers during the COVID-19 pandemic, patients hospitalized due to acute cardiac conditions underwent a reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test at the time of admission and were categorized as SARS-COV-2 positive (cases) or negative (controls). Patients hospitalized on cardiology wards underwent treatment for the principal acute cardiac condition according to local practice. Clinical outcomes were recorded in-hospital, at 30 days, and after 1 year and compared between cases and controls. To adjust for imbalanced baseline characteristics, a subgroup of patients derived by propensity matching was analyzed.

Results

Between March 2020 and February 2022, 538 patients were enrolled including 122 cases and 416 controls. Mean age was 68.0 ± 14.7 years, and 75% were men. Compared with controls, SARS-COV-2-positive patients more commonly presented with acute heart failure (35% vs. 17%) or major arrhythmia (31% vs. 9%), but less commonly with acute coronary syndrome (26% vs. 53%) or severe aortic stenosis (4% vs. 18%). Mortality was significantly higher in cases vs. controls in-hospital (16% vs. 1%), at 30 days (19.0% vs. 2.2%), and at 1 year (28.7% vs. 7.6%: p < 0.001 for all); this was driven primarily (up to 30 days) and exclusively (at one-year follow-up) by higher non-cardiovascular mortality, and was accompanied by a greater incidence of worsening renal function in cases vs. controls. These findings were maintained in a propensity-matched subgroup of 186 patients (93 cases and 93 controls) with balanced clinical presentation and baseline characteristics.

Conclusions

In this observational study of patients hospitalized for acute cardiac conditions, SARS-COV-2 infection at index hospitalization was associated with markedly higher all-cause and non-cardiovascular mortality throughout one-year follow-up. These findings highlight the need for effective, multifaceted management of both cardiac and non-cardiac morbidities and prolonged surveillance in patients with acute cardiac conditions complicated by SARS-COV-2 infection.

Covid-19 diagnosis and mortality in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction admitted in Italy during the national outbreak

INTRODUCTION

We sought to assess the clinical impact of Covid-19 infection on mortality in patients with Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) admitted during the national outbreak in Italy.

METHODS

We analysed a nationwide, comprehensive, and universal administrative database of consecutive NSTEMI patients admitted during lockdown for Covid-19 infection (March,11st - May 3rd, 2020) and the equivalent periods of the previous 5 years in Italy. The observed rate of 30-day and 6-month all-cause mortality of NSTEMI patients with and without Covid-19 infection during the lockdown was compared with the expected rate of death according to the trend of the previous 5 years.

RESULTS

During the period of observation, 48.447 NSTEMI hospitalizations occurred in Italy. Among these, 4981 NSTEMI patients were admitted during the 2020 outbreak: 173 (3.5%) with and 4808 (96.5%) without a Covid-19 diagnosis. According to the 5-year trend, the 2020 expected rate of 30-day and 6-month all-cause mortality was 6.5% and 12.2%, while the observed incidence of death was 8.3% (p = 0.001) and 13.6% (p = 0.041), respectively. Excluding NSTEMI patients with a Covid-19 diagnosis, the 6-month mortality rate resulted in accordance with the prior 5-year trend. After multiple corrections, the presence of Covid-19 diagnosis resulted one of the independent predictors of all-cause mortality at 30 days [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.3; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.90-6.23; p < 0.0001] and 6 months (adjusted OR 3.5; 95% CI: 2.43-5.03; p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

During the 2020 national outbreak in Italy, a concomitant diagnosis of Covid-19 in NSTEMI was associated with a significantly higher rate of mortality.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated during the COVID-19 pandemic might experience prolonged time to reperfusion. The delayed reperfusion may potentially aggravate the risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in those patients. Limited access to healthcare, more reluctant health-seeking behaviors, and bystander readiness to render life-saving interventions might additionally contribute to the suggested change in the risk of OHCA in STEMI. Thus, we sought to explore the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on treatment delay and clinical outcomes of patients with STEMI with OHCA. Overall, 5,501 consecutive patients with STEMI complicated by OHCA and treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation were enrolled. A propensity score matching was used to obviate the possible impact of non-randomized design. A total of 740 matched pairs of patients with STEMI and OHCA treated before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were compared. A similar mortality and prevalence of periprocedural complications were observed in both groups. However, patients treated during the COVID-19 outbreak experienced longer delays from first medical contact to angiography (88.8 (±61.5) vs. 101.4 (±109.8) [minutes]; p = 0.006). There was also a trend toward prolonged time from pain onset to angiography in patients admitted to the hospital in the pandemic era (207.3 (±192.8) vs. 227.9 (±231.4) [minutes]; p = 0.06). In conclusion, the periprocedural outcomes in STEMI complicated by OHCA were comparable before and during the COVID-19 era. However, treatment in the COVID-19 outbreak was associated with a longer time from first medical contact to reperfusion.

Impact of COVID-19 Diagnosis on Mortality in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Hospitalized during the National Outbreak in Italy

Background. We sought to assess the clinical impact of COVID-19 infection on mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) admitted during the national outbreak in Italy. Methods. We analysed a nationwide, comprehensive, and universal administrative database of consecutive STEMI patients admitted during lockdown for COVID-19 infection (11 March−3 May 2020) and the equivalent periods of the previous 5 years in Italy. The observed rate of 30-day and 6-month all-cause mortality of STEMI patients with and without COVID-19 infection during the lockdown was compared with the expected rate of death, according to the trend of the previous 5 years. Results. During the study period, 32.910 STEMI hospitalizations occurred in Italy. Among these, 4048 STEMI patients were admitted during the 2020 outbreak: 170 (4.2%) with and 3878 (95.8%) without a COVID-19 diagnosis. According to the 5-year trend, the 2020 expected rates of 30-day and 6-month all-cause mortality were 9.2% and 12.6%, while the observed incidences of death were 10.8% (p = 0.016) and 14.4% (p = 0.017), respectively. Excluding STEMI patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis, the mortality rate resulted in accordance with the prior 5-year trend. After multiple corrections, the presence of COVID-19 diagnosis was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality at 30 days [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.5; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 3.09−6.45; p < 0.0001] and 6 months (adjusted OR 3.6; 95% CI: 2.47−5.12; p < 0.0001). Conclusions.During the 2020 national outbreak in Italy, COVID-19 infection significantly increased the mortality trend in patients with STEMI.