scholarly journals Unpredictable Fall of Severe Emergent Cardiovascular Diseases Hospital Admissions During the COVID‐19 Pandemic: Experience of a Single Large Center in Northern Italy

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Toniolo ◽  
Francesco Negri ◽  
Marco Antonutti ◽  
Marco Masè ◽  
Domenico Facchin
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Acute Coronary Syndromes ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Tertiary Referral Center ◽  
Coronary Syndromes ◽  
The Impact

Background Northern Italy is one of the epicenters of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV 2) pandemic in Europe. The impact of the pandemic and the consequent lockdown on medical emergencies other than those SARS‐CoV 2 pandemic related is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiologic impact of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on hospital admission for severe emergent cardiovascular diseases ( SECD s) in a single Northern Italy large tertiary referral center. Methods and Results We quantified SECD s admissions to the Cardiology Division of Udine University Hospital between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2020 and compared them with those of the same time frame during 2019. Compared with March 2019, we observed a significant reduction in all SECD s admissions: −30% for ST ‐segment–elevation acute coronary syndromes, −66% for non‐ ST ‐segment–elevation acute coronary syndromes and −50% for severe bradyarrhythmia. Conclusions A significant decrease in all SECD s admissions has been observed during the SARS‐CoV 2. pandemic and was unlikely caused by a reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Fear of contagion may have contributed to the unpredictable drop of SECD s. Social education about early recognition of symptoms of life‐threatening cardiac conditions requiring appropriate care in a timely fashion may help to reduce this counterproductive phenomenon.

scholarly journals Admissions and In-hospital Outcomes of Acute Coronary Syndromes during Corona Virus Disease 19 Pandemic in Albania

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (B) ◽  
pp. 593-599
Author(s):  
Leonard Simoni ◽  
Ilir Alimehmeti ◽  
Astrit Ceka ◽  
Ermir Tafaj ◽  
Mirald Gina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Coronary Syndromes ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Control Period ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Distance Measures ◽  
Invasive Procedures ◽  
Coronary Syndromes ◽  
St Elevation ◽  
The Impact

   BACKGROUND: Cardiologists and surveys from all over the world have reported an important drop in admissions of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and related coronary procedures during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID 19) pandemic. AIM: We investigated the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on hospitalizations for ACS and related invasive procedures in a country with low COVID 19 incidence. METHODS: We conducted a single-center, observational retrospective study including all consecutive patients admitted for ACS in the Cardiology Department of University Hospital Center Mother Theresa from March 9, 2020 (1st day of application of social distance measures) to April 30th (period of total lockdown). Patients admitted in the same time period in 2019 served as controls. All data were collected from the medical files. Admissions were classified as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or non-ST-elevation ACS (NSTEACS). Total and weekly admissions and invasive procedures were assessed. Mean incidence difference (MID) in weekly ACS admissions and procedures was also calculated. RESULTS: Overall, 781 patients were included in this analysis: 321 patients (37%) were admitted during study period and 550 patients (63%) were admitted during the control period (overall reduction of 41.6%; weekly MID of 28.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.3 to 44.0; p = 0.001). The occurrence of all ACS types was reduced: STEMI, by 28.1%; weekly MID 7.3 [0.6-15.2]; p = 0.048]; NSTEACS by 50.5%, weekly MID 19.1 [13.9-24.4]; p < 0.001]. Invasive procedures were also reduced: coronary angiography by 42.5%, weekly MID 26.6 [13.4-39.2]; p = 0.001]; percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by 42.3%, weekly MID 16.1 [5.9-26.3], p = 0.004]. Compared to 2019, during the COVID-19 period, there was a 2.4 fold increase in the inhospital death (3% vs 7.2%) with a significant weekly MID 1.4 [0.2-2.7) P=0.032]. A 2.6-fold increase in the occurrence of cardiogenic shock was also observed (13.1% vs. 5.1%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The admissions for ACS and invasive revascularization procedures were significantly reduced, whereas the death rate was increased during COVID 19 pandemic outbreak in Albania compared with the same period in 2019.

scholarly journals The effect of the COVID pandemic lockdown measures on surgical emergencies: experience and lessons learned from a Greek tertiary hospital

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanouil Pikoulis ◽  
Nikolaos Koliakos ◽  
Dimitrios Papaconstantinou ◽  
Nikolaos Pararas ◽  
Andreas Pikoulis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Perianal Abscess ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Tertiary Referral Center ◽  
Surgical Department ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic caused a rise in healthcare demands leading to significant restructuring of hospital emergency departments worldwide. The aim of the present study is twofold: firstly, to discern any differences in regard to reason for surgical emergency department (SED) attendance and hospital admission during the pandemic and pre-pandemic eras in Greece, and secondly, to assess the impact of the lockdown measures implemented during the pandemic on SED patient attendance. Methods Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece (1 March 2020) and up to 15 December 2020, the charts of all adult patients arriving at the SED of the third surgical department of the “Attikon” University Hospital (a tertiary referral center for surgical and COVID-19 cases) were retrospectively reviewed and broken down in four periods reflecting two nationwide lockdown (period A 1/3/2020 to 30/4/2020 and period D 16/10/2020 to 15/12/2020) and two interim (period B 1/5/2020 to 15/6/2020 and period C 15/9/2020 to 30/10/2020) periods. Demographic and clinical data were compared to those obtained from the same time periods of the year 2019. Results The total number of patients attending the SED decreased by 35.9% during the pandemic (from 2839 total patients in 2019 to 1819 in 2020). During the first lockdown, there was statistically significant reduction of motor vehicle accidents (p=0.04) and torso injuries (p=0.01). Contrarily, the rate of head injuries (p<0.001) and abdominal pain (p=0.04) were significantly increased. The same effect was observed regarding the rate of hospital admissions (p=0.002), although in terms of absolute numbers, admissions remained unchanged. During the second lockdown, there was a reduction in the number of perianal abscess cases (p=0.04) and hernia-related problems (p=0.001). An increase in the rate of fall injuries was also demonstrable (p=0.02). Overall, application of the lockdown led to a significant decrease in minor (p<0.001) and torso (p=0.001) injuries. Conclusion The burden of the new COVID-19 disease has left a noticeable imprint in the function of emergency departments worldwide. In Greece, SED attendance was significantly reduced during the pandemic, an effect that was even more pronounced during the lockdown implementation; nevertheless, the overall rate of hospital admissions remained the same, denoting that patient care was not altered.

scholarly journals The bimodal rise and fall acute coronary syndromes curves paralleling COVID-19 outbreaks

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Trabattoni ◽  
G Teruzzi ◽  
P M Ravagnani ◽  
G Santagostino Baldi ◽  
P Montorsi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiogenic Shock ◽  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Acute Coronary Syndromes ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Admission Rate ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Admission Rates ◽  
Coronary Syndromes ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction Preliminary reports from the early phase of COVID-19 epidemic in Italy reported a dramatic reduction in hospital admission rates for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) coupled with longer times from symptoms onset to hospital presentation. Purpose To assess the impact of COVID-19 on hospital admission rates and ACS patterns, as well as time to presentation and clinical outcomes, following the acute pandemic phase in 2020 compared to previous year. Methods We conducted a single institution retrospective analysis conducted in a cardiovascular hub serving a large metropolitan area in Italy. Number and monthly distribution of hospital admissions for ACS from January 1 to December 31, 2020 were compared to the respective figures in 2019. Baseline clinical features, time from symptoms onset to hospital admission and main clinical outcomes were collected. Results A total of 599 ACS cases were recorded in 2020 vs. 386 cases in 2019, with a net 55% increase. ACS presentation rate in 2020 showed a bimodal pattern, paralleling the most contagious outbreak periods (Figure 1). SARS-CoB-2 nasopharyngeal swab or specific antibody tests were positive in 34 (5.7%) patients. Time from symptoms onset to hospital presentation tended to be longer in 2020 than in 2019, being two-fold longer during the peak epidemic phase (February 21-May 3, 2020; median time 2.0 vs. 5.0 hours, p=0.030). The proportion of late-presenting STEMI (&gt;8 hrs from symptoms onset) was higher in 2020 compared to 2019 (30% vs. 18%, p=0.003),as well as higher was in-hospital mortality (15% in 2020 vs 6% in 2019, p=0.001), partly due to a three-fold increase in cardiogenic shock on ACS presentation. Conclusions ACS admission rate significantly increased during the 2020 COVID-19 epidemic outbreak for several reasons only partially explained by a SARS-CoV-2 infection trigger effect on ACS. Longer presentation times and higher rates of cardiogenic shock and mortality were observed, urging the need health-care systems to keep a high priority on cardiovascular emergencies response networks. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1

Does climate change affect the chronobiological trends in occurrence of acute coronary syndromes?

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Kuzma ◽  
A Kurasz ◽  
M Niwinska ◽  
EJ Dabrowski ◽  
M Swieczkowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Acute Coronary Syndromes ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Temperature Changes ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Relative Risks ◽  
Coronary Syndromes ◽  
Atmospheric Changes

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are the leading cause of death all over the world, in the last years chronobiology of their occurrence has been changing. Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the influence of climate change on hospital admissions due to ACS. Methods Medical records of 10,529 patients hospitalized for ACS in 2008–2017 were examined. Weather conditions data were obtained from the Institute of Meteorology. Results Among the patients, 3537 (33.6%) were hospitalized for STEMI, 3947 (37.5%) for NSTEMI, and 3045 (28.9%) for UA. The highest seasonal mean for ACS was recorded in spring (N = 2782, mean = 2.52, SD = 1.7; OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.0-1.2; P = 0.049) and it was a season with the highest temperature changes day to day (Δ temp.=11.7). On the other hand, every 10ºC change in temperature was associated with an increased admission due to ACS by 13% (RR 1.13; 95% CI 1.04-1.3; P = 0.008). Analysis of weekly changes showed that the highest frequency of ACS occurred on Thursday (N = 1703, mean = 2.7, SD = 1.9; OR 1.16; 95% CI 1.0-1.23; P = 0.004), in STEMI subgroup it was Monday (N = 592, mean = 0.9, SD = 1.6, OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1-1.4; P = 0.002). Sunday was associated with decreased admissions due to all types of ACS (N = 1098, mean = 1.7, SD = 1.4; OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.6-0.8, P &lt; 0.001). In the second half of the study period (2013-2018) the relative risks of hospital admissions due to ACS were 1.043 (95%CI: 1.009-1.079, P = 0.014, lag 0) and 0.957 (95%CI: 0.925-0.990, P = 0.010, lag 1) for each 10ºC decrease in temperature; 1.049 (95% CI: 1.015-1.084, P = 0.004, lag 0) and 1.045 (95%CI: 1.011-1.080, P = 0.008, lag 1) for each 10 hPa decrease in atmospheric pressure and 1.180 (95% CI: 1.078-1.324, P = 0.007, lag 0) for every 10ºC change in temperature. For the first half of the study the risk was significantly lower. Conclusion We observed a shift in the seasonal peak of ACS occurrence from winter to spring which may be related to temperature fluctuation associated with climate change in this season. The lowest frequency of ACS took place on weekends. Atmospheric changes had a much more pronounced effect on admissions due to ACS in the second half of the analyzed period, which is in line with the dynamics of global climate change.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on stroke admissions in Qatar

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e000084
Author(s):  
Naveed Akhtar ◽  
Salman Al Jerdi ◽  
Ziyad Mahfoud ◽  
Yahia Imam ◽  
Saadat Kamran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Small Vessel Disease ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Relative Increase ◽  
Large Vessel ◽  
Tertiary Care Centre ◽  
Transient Ischaemic Attacks ◽  
Stroke Mimics ◽  
Coronary Syndromes ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a dramatic unexplained decline in hospital admissions due to acute coronary syndromes and stroke. Several theories have emerged aiming to explain this decline, mostly revolving around the fear of contracting the disease and thus avoiding hospital visits.AimsIn this study, we aim to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stroke admissions to a tertiary care centre in Qatar.MethodsThe Hamad General Hospital stroke database was interrogated for stroke admissions between September 2019 and May 2020. The number of stroke admissions, stroke subtypes and short-term outcomes was compared between the ‘pre-COVID-19’ period (September 2019 to February 2020) and the COVID-19 pandemic period (March to May 2020).ResultsWe observed a significant decline in monthly admissions in March (157), April (128) and May (135) compared with the pre-COVID-19 6-month average (229) (p=0.024). The reduction in admissions was most evident in functional stroke mimics. The average admissions decreased from 87 to 34 per month (p=0.0001). Although there were no significant differences in admissions due to ischaemic stroke (IS), intracranial haemorrhage or transient ischaemic attacks between the two periods, we noted a relative decrease in IS due to small vessel disease and an increase in those due to large vessel atherosclerosis in March to May 2020.ConclusionsThe decline in overall stroke admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic is most likely related to concerns of contracting the infection, evidenced mainly by a decline in admissions of stroke mimics. However, a relative increase in large vessel occlusions raises suspicion of pathophysiological effects of the virus, and requires further investigation.

scholarly journals Potential value for new diagnostic markers in the early recognition of acute coronary syndromes

CJEM ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 8 (01) ◽  
pp. 27-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Lippi ◽  
Martina Montagnana ◽  
Gian Luca Salvagno ◽  
Gian Cesare Guidi
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Ischemia ◽  
Acute Coronary Syndromes ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Myocardial Dysfunction ◽  
Acute Chest Pain ◽  
Diagnostic Approach ◽  
Time Of Arrival ◽  
New Era ◽  
Coronary Syndromes ◽  
New Biomarkers

ABSTRACTThe diagnostic approach to acute coronary syndromes (ACS) remains one of the most difficult and controversial challenges facing emergency physicians. In recent years, cardiac troponins have emerged as the biochemical “gold standard” for diagnosis of patients with acute chest pain, enhancing our ability to recognize ACS. Early diagnosis and treatment of myocardial ischemia improve patient outcomes, but conventional markers are often nondiagnostic at the time of arrival at the emergency department. Promising new biomarkers, which appear earlier after the onset of ischemia, are being studied and integrated into clinical practice. Some are markers of myocyte necrosis, but others, including ischemia-modified albumin and natriuretic peptides, detect myocardial ischemia and myocardial dysfunction. The aim of the present article is to review the diagnostic approach to ACS, focusing on recent literature describing novel biochemical markers. If ongoing and future studies confirm their role in probability-based models risk assessment, a new era in the diagnostic approach to ACS may be dawning.

scholarly journals Smoking Ban: A Long-term Analysis of the Malta Paradox in a Population of over 400,000 Subjects

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Magri ◽  
Robert Xuereb ◽  
Sandra Distefano ◽  
Neville Calleja ◽  
Victor Grech
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Admission Rate ◽  
Coronary Heart Disease Mortality ◽  
Smoking Ban ◽  
Annual Data ◽  
Public Areas ◽  
Coronary Syndromes ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: The introduction of laws that make indoor public areas and workplaces smoke-free has resulted in a significant<br />reduction in the incidence of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Malta was the second European country to introduce the<br />smoking ban legislation in April 2004. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of the smoking ban in Malta on<br />ACS morbidity and mortality.<br />Methods: The number of ACS hospital admissions and the number of cardiovascular deaths were retrospectively analysed.<br />The annual data for 5 years prior to and following the introduction of the Tobacco Act were obtained according to age-groups<br />for both genders. Poisson regression analyses were performed to assess for decline in ACS admission and cardiovascular<br />death.<br />Results: The ACS admission rate increased throughout the 5 years following the introduction of the smoking ban. There was<br />no change in mortality rate in the 5 years following the legislation, except in 2007 when a small but significant decline was<br />noted.<br />Conclusions: The Malta smoking ban did not have a significant impact on cardiovascular mortality and ACS admissions<br />rates, indicating the need for proper enforcement of the public smoking ban and increase in public awareness regarding the<br />adverse effects of smoking.<br />Key words: Coronary heart disease; Mortality; Prevention; Smoking.

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