Acute myocardial infarction during late COVID-19 era: patient characteristics, presentation and outcomes

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has unquestionably influenced care of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Still, its impact on patients (pts) characteristics, presentation, treatment, and outcomes remains not well established in late pandemic times. To address this issue, we performed a prospective study of type-1 AMI pts admitted in a tertiary care hospital. Pts were enrolled during 6-months in 2019 (n=122; pre-COVID-19 (PC) group) and in 2021 (n=196; late-COVID-19 (C) group). Data was based on pts interview and review of medical records. Age and gender distribution, as well as ST/Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI/NSTEMI) proportion and access to coronariography and revascularization were similar between groups. C pts presented more pre-existing established cardiovascular disease (CVD) (43% vs 30%; p=0,03); more frequent description of typical chest pain (94% vs 84%; p=0,002); higher levels of pain intensity, in a 0-10 scale (8±2 vs 7±2; p=0,02); higher frequencies of AMI complications (27% vs 15%; p=0,01) and worse Killip (K) class evolution (K≥2 in 22% C vs 13% PC pts; p=0,05). In conclusion, late pandemic AMI pts presented worse in-hospital outcomes in our study, though pre-hospital and hospital care were comparable to pre-pandemic times. Covid pts had a higher burden of pre-existing established CVD and a more typical and intense symptom presentation. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that "sicker" pts continued to look for help when presenting AMI symptoms, while "less sick" pts and the ones with less typical and intense symptoms possibly avoided contact with health care services during late pandemic period.