STEMI patients in the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia

Introduction Countries, severly hit by COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, reported reduced admissions and increased mortality of STEMI patients. The first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia was mild, but in the second wave (October to December 2020) COVID-19 cases and fatalities significantly increased. To overcome the pandemic, restrictions to full lockdown, rapid redeployment and mobilization of healthcare resources, as well as reduction or delayed hospital admissions for acute non-communicable conditions were were undertaken. Purpose To evaluate STEMI admissions, the delay in treatment, complications and mortality of STEMI patients in the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and comparison of data to 3 months (March-May) in 2019. Methods We retrospectively analysed the data of STEMI patients, admitted in March to May 2019 and in the first (March-May) and in the second wave (October-December) of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. We compared STEMI admissions, age, gender, comorbidities, time to primary coronary intervention (PPCI), the rate of PPCI, TIMI III flow after PPCI, prior resuscitations, hospital complications such as heart failure, arrhythmias, bleedings, acute kidney injury and mortality between 2019 and both waves of COVID-19 pandemic. Results Between STEMI patients in 2019 and patients in the first and the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic there were nonsignificant differences in STEMI admissions (90 patients vs 96 patients vs 81 patients), in gender, age, comorbidities, the rate of primary percutaneous intervention (PPCI, 94.4% vs 94.8% vs 91.4%), TIMI III flow after PPCI, anterior STEMI, in prior resuscitations (10% vs 10.4% vs 16%). Compared to 2019, admission acute heart failure was nonsignificantly increased in COVID-19 pandemic (30% vs 34.4% vs 39.5%). Within the first 3 hours of STEMI PPCI was performed nonsignificantly less likely in the first wave and significantly less likely in the second wave (35.5%* vs 30.2% vs 19.8%*, *p=0.037) in comparison to 2019. The incidence of acute kidney injury was similar in the first wave, but nonsignificantly increased in the second wave (6.6% vs 5.2% vs 9.8%), compared to 2019 and hospital infection was nonsignificantly increased in both COVID-19 periods (15.6% vs 20.8% vs 27.2%). In hospital heart failure was nonsignificantly increased in the first wave and significantly increased in the second one (23.3%* vs 27.1% vs 42%*, *p=0.015), as well as mitral regurgitation (10%* vs 18.8% vs 26.9%*, *p=0.008). Hospital mortality was nonsignificantly increased in bothe waves of the pandemic (8.9% vs 9.4% vs 13.6%). Conclusions In paralell to the increased severity of COVID-19 pandemic in the second wave there was less STEMI admissions, significantly less timely performed PPCI with significantly increased hospital heart failure, resulting in nonsignificantly increased hospital mortality. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

TIMI (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infraction) flow grade in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction after Primary Percutaneous Intervention

Background: Timely reperfusion, preferably by primary percutaneous intervention (PCI) has been the guiding-principle for the treatment of patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). TIMI flow grade of the culprit lesion after the procedure have shown to have significant implication in clinical outcome. Objective: We aimed to study the relation of TIMI flow grade with the in-hospital outcome and complication among patients of STEMI.Methods: All consecutive acute STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI during the study period (January 2020 to June 2020) were analyzed for correlation between TIMI flow grade and clinical outcome during the hospital stay. Prior approval was taken from institutional review board. The study design was retrospective observational study.Result: Total of 51(55%) patients had achieved the TIMI 3 flow after the primary PCI. Number of patients achieving TIMI flow of 2,1 and 0 after the procedure were 34(37%),6(6.5%) and 2(2%). Incidence of traditional risk factors like dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension was higher in TIMI flow <2 . TIMI flow <2 was also associated with more adverse events namely cardiogenic shock, arrythmias, in-hospital mortality and overall major adverse cardiovascular events.Conclusion: Patients with dyslipidemia had poor TIMI flow grade during primary PCI. Similarly, patients having hypertension, diabetes mellitus and late presentation showed tendency for TIMI flow <2 . Also, the poor TIMI flow grade after primary PCI had unfavorable the clinical outcomes like increased complications and mortality. Keywords: Primary percutaneous intervention (PCI), ST elevation MI (STEMI), TIMI flow grade

Management of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in High-Risk Settings

Despite the widespread adoption of primary percutaneous intervention and modern antithrombotic therapy, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains the leading cause of death in the United States and remains one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Certain high-risk patients present a challenge for diagnosis and treatment. The widespread adoption of primary percutaneous intervention in addition to modern antithrombotic therapy has resulted in substantial improvement in the short- and long-term prognosis following STEMI. In this review, we aim to provide a brief analysis of the state-of-the-art treatment for patients presenting with STEMI, focusing on cardiogenic shock, current treatment and controversies, cardiac arrest, and diagnosis and treatment of mechanical complications, as well as multivessel and left main-related STEMI.