Argacha, Jean-Francois

Beauloye, Christophe

Brasseur, Olivier

Carlier, Marc

Claeys, Marc J.

Collart, Philippe

Coussement, Patrick

Desmet, Walter

Dubois, Philippe

Evrard, Patrick

Fierens, Frans

Flore, Vincent

Gevaert, Sofie

Hanet, Claude

Marechal, Patrick

Pourbaix, Suzanne

Schelfaut, Dan

Sinnaeve, Peter R.

Stammen, Francis

Van Caenegem, Olivier

Abstract: Aims The current study assessed the impact of COVID-19-related public containment measures (i.e. lockdown) on the ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) epidemic in Belgium. Methods and results Clinical characteristics, reperfusion therapy modalities, COVID-19 status and in-hospital mortality of consecutive STEMI patients who were admitted to Belgian hospitals for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were recorded during a three-week period starting at the beginning of the lockdown period on 13 March 2020. Similar data were collected for the same time period for 2017-2019. An evaluation of air quality revealed a 32% decrease in ambient NO(2)concentrations during lockdown (19.5 mu g/m(3) versus 13.2 mu g/m(3),p 12 h after onset of pain) (14% versus 7.6%,p = .04) and with longer door-to-balloon times (median of 45 versus 39 min,p = .02). Although the in-hospital mortality between the two periods was comparable (5.9% versus 6.7%), 5 of the 7 (71%) COVID-19-positive STEMI patients died. Conclusion The present study revealed a 26% reduction in STEMI admissions and a delay in treatment of STEMI patients. Less exposure to external STEMI triggers (such as ambient air pollution) and/or reluctance to seek medical care are possible explanations of this observation

Institutional Repository Universiteit Antwerpen

Impact of COVID-19-related public containment measures on the ST elevation myocardial infarction epidemic in Belgium: a nationwide, serial, cross-sectional study

Impact of COVID-19-related public containment measures on the ST elevation myocardial infarction epidemic in Belgium: a nationwide, serial, cross-sectional study

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Institutional Repository Universiteit Antwerpen