Introduction and objectives The COVID-19 outbreak has had an unclear impact on the treatment and outcomes of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of this study was to assess changes in STEMI management during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods Using a multicenter, nationwide, retrospective, observational registry of consecutive patients who were managed in 75 specific STEMI care centers in Spain, we compared patient and procedural characteristics and in-hospital outcomes in 2 different cohorts with 30-day follow-up according to whether the patients had been treated before or after COVID-19. Results Suspected STEMI patients treated in STEMI networks decreased by 27.6% and patients with confirmed STEMI fell from 1305 to 1009 (22.7%). There were no differences in reperfusion strategy (> 94% treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention in both cohorts). Patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention during the COVID-19 outbreak had a longer ischemic time (233 [150-375] vs 200 [140-332] minutes, P < .001) but showed no differences in the time from first medical contact to reperfusion. In-hospital mortality was higher during COVID-19 (7.5% vs 5.1%; unadjusted OR, 1.50; 95%CI, 1.07-2.11; P < .001); this association remained after adjustment for confounders (risk-adjusted OR, 1.88; 95%CI, 1.12-3.14; P = .017). In the 2020 cohort, there was a 6.3% incidence of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during hospitalization. Conclusions The number of STEMI patients treated during the current COVID-19 outbreak fell vs the previous year and there was an increase in the median time from symptom onset to reperfusion and a significant 2-fold increase in the rate of in-hospital mortality. No changes in reperfusion strategy were detected, with primary percutaneous coronary intervention performed for the vast majority of patients. The co-existence of STEMI and SARS-CoV-2 infection was relatively infrequent.

In patients presenting with ACS, 64-MDCT provided an accurate grade of stenosis for nonculprit coronary lesions in proximal coronary segments. Calcified plaques and lesions in coronary segments

The feasibility and safety of left atrial appendage closure with the Amplatzer cardiac plug (AGA Medical Corp., Minneapolis, MN) have been recently published; no thrombus formation on the device surface has been reported previously. We describe a case of a 66-year-old man with permanent atrial fibrillation, previous stroke, and contraindication for long-term oral anticoagulant therapy. A 22-mm ACP device was deployed successfully without complications. The patient was discharged on acetyl salicylic acid 100 mg and clopidogrel 75 mg daily. After 4 weeks, the patient was admitted for a lower gastrointestinal bleeding and clopidogrel was stopped. A 3-month follow-up echocardiogram confirmed the exclusion of the LAA but it demonstrated the presence of a thrombus on the atrial surface of the device. It was decided to keep the patient on acetyl salicylic acid 100 mg with the addition of enoxaparin 60 mg bid. Transesophageal echocardiogram demonstrated total resolution of the thrombus after 2 months.

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