Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Management of Patients With ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction in a Tertiary Cardiovascular Center.

BACKGROUND

In the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the appropriate reperfusion strategy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is unclear.

METHODS

This retrospective single-center study consecutively enrolled patients who presented with STEMI and scheduled for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) during the outbreak of COVID-19. Due to the delay in the reporting of the polymerase chain reaction test results, our postprocedural triage regarding COVID-19, followed by the isolation strategy, was based on lung computerized tomography scan results.

RESULTS

Forty-eight patients with STEMI referred to our center. PPCI was done for 44 (91%) of these patients. The mean symptom-to-device time was 490.93 ± 454.608 minutes, and the mean first medical contact-to-device time was and 154.12 ± 36.27 minutes. Nine (18%) patients with STEMI were diagnosed as having typical/indeterminate features indicating COVID-19 involvement. During hospitalization, 1 (2.0%) patient died of cardiogenic shock. The study population was followed for 35.9 ± 12.7 days. Two patients expired in another centers due to COVID-19. No cardiac catheterization laboratory staff members were infected by COVID-19 during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Our small report indicates that by taking the recommended safety measures and using appropriate PPE, we can continue PPCI as the main reperfusion strategy safely and effectively.