ABSTRACT
Background: ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is associated with high mortality and morbidity. In order to minimize cardiac tissue injury, primary per-cutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) as treatment of choice should be performed as soon as possible. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as an ongoing major global concern affects the other parts of health care system. Applying preventive strategies during this outbreak is necessary. However, critical times in STEMI management and outcomes may be influenced by infection control protocols implementation. The aim of this study is to investigate the differences in time intervals related to STEMI care and 15-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during this outbreak compared with the same period in last year and to determine whether the STEMI protocol should be changed to thrombolytic therapy during COVID-19 outbreak or not. Methods and results: The patients with STEMI who underwent PPCI in Tehran Heart Center were included. Chest Computed tomography (CT) imaging and real time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) were only performed for COVID-19 suspected patients. Seventy-seven patients from 29th February to 29th March 2020 were compared with 62 patients from 1st to 30th March 2019. COVID-19 infection was confirmed by rRT-PCR in 5 cases. CT imaging in 4 out of 5 patients was in favor of COVID-19. The median of door-to-device time was reduced 13 minutes during this outbreak (p :0.007). In-hospital mortality before and during outbreak was 3.22% and 5.19%, respectively (p: 0.57). Confirmed infection with COVID-19 was only reported in one of expired cases. The difference in 15-day MACE between two time periods was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Given that 15-day outcome in acute STEMI patients is not affected by COVID-19 outbreak, we did not find it reasonable to change our protocol. However, further studies are needed to determine a standard protocol for emergency management