Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Emergency medical systems, as the first line of management of infectious patients, were affected by the 2019 coronavirus acute respiratory disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) with emphasis on response time. Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of dispatch card from EMS in Bydgoszcz between January 2018 and December 2020. The differences regarding the EMS response were analyzed between the pre-pandemic (2018-2019) and the pandemic (2020) period in three time-points: from call to Emergency Medical Team (EMT) departure (T1), from departure to arrival at the scene (T2), and from arrival to reaching the emergency department (T3). Results: There were 47783 EMT departures in 2018, 47113 in 2019 and 40835 in 2020. In 2020 mean (SD) monthly number of interventions was significantly lower [3403 (349) vs. 3954 (182), p < 0.001) compared to the 2018-2019 period. During the pandemic period the mean T1 [0.9 (1.49) vs. 0.63 (1.12) min, p < 0.001], T2 [9.91 (6.33) vs. 8.25 (5.07) min, p < 0.001], and T3 interval [40.45 (19.84) vs. 36.56 (14.63) min, p < 0.001] were prolonged in comparison to the pre-pandemic period. The differences in response time were the largest in October-December.Conclusions: During the first year of the pandemic, the number of EMT interventions decreased and the response time was prolonged compared to the pre-pandemic period. The largest differences were observed at the end of the year, which overlapped with the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 infections in Poland.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on emergency medical service response to emergency calls — a retrospective analysis of data from Emergency Medical Service station in Bydgoszcz

Paciorek

Romaniuk

Husejko

et al. 2022

“…A considerable prolongation of the EMS response time was found in 2020 in comparison with the two-year pre-pandemic period, with the longest delay in the autumn, which corresponded to the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 infections in Poland [1]. These interesting observations complement the image of EMS functioning during the pandemic time [3][4][5][6][7]. Reduction in the rate of hospitalizations for acute heart failure was even more pronounced at the beginning of the pandemic in Poland during the first public lockdown from March to May 2020 [8].…”

mentioning

confidence: 53%

The fear of COVID — a factor affecting the functioning of emergency medical service

Gajda¹

2022

“…In late 2019 a highly pathogenic novel coronavirus of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) emerged, causing a global pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019 . This new hitherto unknown disease, has had a huge devastating impact on the lives of individuals and entire societies [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. There are three stages of the COVID-19:…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-COVID-19 rehabilitation (PCR-SIRIO 8) study. A rationale and protocol of the study

Kubica

Michalski

Pietrzykowski

et al. 2022

A substantial proportion of the COVID-19 survivors require the physical and mental support due to the post COVID-19 syndrome. In response to this demand a comprehensive rehabilitation program tailored to the individual needs has been developed. The program is linked with a Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation (PCR-SIRIO 8) study that aims to objectively evaluate the outcomes of the post-COVID-19 rehabilitation. The study was designed as a prospective, single-center, observational study involving patients suffering from post-COVID-19 syndrome. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria are invited for an initial visit including medical and physiotherapeutic examination. Rehabilitation program includes physical training, therapeutic education, and psychotherapeutic workshops. Individual psychotherapeutic, educational and medical visits are carried out additionally depending on the patient's needs. Closing visit evaluates individual effects of the rehabilitation program.We believe that our observational study will provide knowledge necessary to optimize post-COVID-19 rehabilitation.