ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2019, several countries have reported a substantial drop in the number of patients admitted with non-ST-segment myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the changes in admissions, in-hospital management and outcomes of patients with NSTEMI in the COVID-19 era in a nationwide survey. METHOD: A prospective, multicenter, observational, nationwide study involving 13 medical centers across Israel aimed to evaluate consecutive patients with NSTEMI admitted to intensive cardiac care units over an 8-week period during the COVID-19 outbreak and to compare them with NSTEMI patients admitted at the same period 2 years earlier (control period). RESULTS: There were 624 (43%) NSTEMI patients, of whom 349 (56%) were hospitalized during the COVID-19 era and 275 (44%) during the control period. There were no significant differences in age, gender and other baseline characteristics between the two study periods. During the COVID-19 era, more patients arrived at the hospital via an emergency medical system compared with the control period (P = 0.05). Time from symptom onset to hospital admission was longer in the COVID-19 era as compared with the control period [11.5 h (interquartile range, IQR, 2.5-46.7) vs. 2.9 h (IQR 1.7-6.8), respectively, P < 0.001]. Nevertheless, the time from hospital admission to reperfusion was similar in both groups. The rate of coronary angiography was also similar in both groups. The in-hospital mortality rate was similar in both the COVID-19 era and the control period groups (2.3% vs. 4.7%, respectively, P = 0.149) as was the 30-day mortality rate (3.7% vs. 5.1%, respectively, P = 0.238). CONCLUSION: In contrast to previous reports, admission rates of NSTEMI were similar in this nationwide survey during the COVID-19 era. With longer time from symptoms to admission, but with the same time from hospital admission to reperfusion therapy and with similar in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates. Even in times of crisis, adherence of medical systems to clinical practice guidelines ensures the preservation of good clinical outcomes.