ABSTRACT
Numerous observational studies have identified a decline in cerebro-/cardiovascular (CV) admissions during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies and meta-analyses indicated that the overall decrease was smaller than that found in initial studies during the first months of 2020. Two years later we still do not have clear evidence about the potential causes and impacts of the reduction of CV hospitalizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has becoming increasingly evident that collateral damage (i.e., incidental damage to the public and patients) from the COVID-19 outbreak is the main underlying cause that at least somewhat reflects the effects of imposed measures such as social distancing and self-isolation. However, a smaller true decline in CV events in the community due to a lack of triggers associated with such acute syndromes cannot be excluded. There is currently indirect epidemiological evidence about the immediate impact that the collateral damage had on excess mortality, but possible late consequences including a rebound increase in CV events are yet to be observed. In the present narrative review, we present the reporting milestones in the literature of the rates of CV admissions and collateral damage during the last 2 years, and discuss all possible factors contributing to the decline in CV hospitalizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare systems need to be prepared so that they can cope with the increased hospitalization rates for CV events in the near future.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A remarkable decline in admissions for acute stroke and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been reported in countries severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, limited data are available from countries with less COVID-19 burden focusing on concurrent stroke and ACS hospitalisation rates from the same population. METHODS: The study was conducted in three geographically and demographically representative COVID-19 referral university hospitals in Greece. We recorded the rate of stroke and ACS hospital admissions during a 6-week period of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 and compared them with the rates of the corresponding period in 2019. RESULTS: We found a greater relative reduction of stroke admissions (51% [35 vs. 71]; incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.49, p = 0.001) compared with ACS admissions (27% [123 vs. 168]; IRR: 0.73, p = 0.009) during the COVID-19 outbreak (p = 0.097). Fewer older (>65 years) patients (stroke: 34.3% vs. 45.1%, odds ratio [OR]: 0.64, p = 0.291; ACS: 39.8% vs. 54.2%, OR: 0.56, p = 0.016) were admitted during the COVID-19 compared with the control period. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalisation rates both for stroke and ACS were reduced during the COVID-19 outbreak in a country with strict social distancing measures, low COVID-19 incidence and low population mortality. Lack of triggers for stroke and ACS during social distancing/quarantining may explain these observations. However, medical care avoidance attitudes among cerebro/cardiovascular patients should be dissipated amidst the rising second COVID-19 wave.