Emergency Department Visits and Deaths from Cardiovascular Diseases at a Referral Center for Cardiology During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed measures of social distancing and, during this time, there has been an elevation in cardiovascular mortality rates and a decrease in the number of emergency visits. Objectives To assess and compare in-hospital mortality for cardiovascular diseases and emergency department visits during the COVID-19 pandemic and the same period in 2019. Methods Retrospective, single-center study that evaluated emergency visits and in-hospital deaths between March 16, 2020 and June 16, 2020, when the steepest fall in the number of emergency admissions for COVID-19 was registered. These data were compared with the emergency visits and in-hospital deaths between March 16 and June 16, 2019. We analyzed the total number of deaths, and cardiovascular deaths. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results There was a 35% decrease in the number of emergency visits and an increase in the ratio of the number of deaths to the number of emergency visits in 2020. The increase in the ratio of the number of all-cause deaths to the number of emergency visits was 45.6% and the increase in the ratio of the number of cardiovascular deaths to the number of emergency visits was 62.1%. None of the patients who died in the study period in 2020 tested positive for COVID-19. Conclusion In-hospital mortality for cardiovascular diseases increased proportionally to the number of emergency visits during the COVID-19-imposed social distancing compared with the same period in 2019. (Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic in stroke code activation and time from symptom onset to hospital arrival in a Portuguese comprehensive stroke centre. / El impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en la activación del Código Ictus y en el tiempo desde el inicio de los síntomas hasta la llegada al hospital en un centro de ictus portugués.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impacted emergency services worldwide. AIM: We aimed to evaluate COVID-19 effect on the number of stroke code activations and timings during the first two months of the pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed the stroke code database of a single comprehensive stroke centre in Portugal for the number of activations through 2019-2020. We compared the pathway timings between March and April 2020 (COVID-19 period) and the homologous months of the previous four years (pre-COVID-19 period), whilst using February as a control. RESULTS: Monthly stroke code activation rates decreased up to 34.2% during COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, we observed an increase in the time from symptom onset to emergency call, with a significant number of patients waiting more than four hours (March 20.8% vs. 6.8%, p = 0.034; April 23.8% vs. 6%, p = 0.01); as well as an increase in the time from symptom onset to hospital arrival (March: median 136 minutes [IQR 106-410] vs. 100 [IQR 64-175], p = 0.001; April: median 188 [IQR 96-394] vs. 98 [IQR 66-168], p = 0.007). No difference between both periods was found concerning in-hospital times, patient characteristics, stroke/mimic diagnosis, stroke severity, and mortality. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 related factors probably reduced healthcare services utilization, and delayed emergency calls and hospital arrival after stroke onset. These highlight the importance of health education to improve the effectiveness of medical assistance. The preservation of in-hospital times validates the feasibility of the protected stroke code protocol.

TITLE: El impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en la activación del Código Ictus y en el tiempo desde el inicio de los síntomas hasta la llegada al hospital en un centro de ictus portugués.Introducción. La enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) provocó un considerable impacto mundial en los servicios de emergencia. Objetivo. Se pretende evaluar el efecto de la COVID-19 sobre el número y los tiempos de activaciones del Código Ictus en el comienzo de la pandemia. Material y métodos. Se revisó la base de datos del Código Ictus de un centro de ictus de Portugal entre 2016 y 2020. Se compararon los tiempos de activación entre marzo y abril de 2020 (período COVID-19) y los meses homólogos de los cuatro años anteriores, mientras que se utilizó febrero como control. Resultados. Las tasas mensuales de activación disminuyeron hasta el 34,2% durante la pandemia. En comparación con el período previo, se observó un aumento del tiempo desde los síntomas hasta la llamada de emergencia, con un aumento de pacientes que esperaron más de cuatro horas (marzo: 20,8 frente a 6,8%, p = 0,034; abril: 23,8 frente a 6%, p = 0,01) y del tiempo desde los síntomas hasta la llegada al hospital ­marzo: mediana de 136 minutos (rango intercuartílico [RIC]: 106-410) frente a 100 (RIC: 64-175), p = 0,001; abril: mediana de 188 (RIC: 96-394) frente a 98 (RIC: 66-168), p = 0,007­. No hubo diferencias en los tiempos de internamiento, las características de los pacientes, el diagnóstico de ictus/stroke mimics, la gravedad del ictus o la mortalidad. Conclusión. Los factores relacionados con la COVID-19 redujeron la utilización de los servicios sanitarios y retrasaron las llamadas de emergencia y el tiempo de llegada al hospital. Esto demuestra la importancia de la educación sanitaria para mejorar la eficacia de la asistencia médica.

Safety of emergency, elective and day case operating during the winter period at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust: lessons from the outcomes of 4,254 surgical patients from the first COVID-19 wave.

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence on perioperative outcomes of surgical patients during the COVID-19 pandemic to inform continued operating into the winter period. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the rate of 30-day COVID-19 transmission and mortality of all surgical patients in the three hospitals in our trust in the East of England during the first lockdown in March 2020. All patients who underwent a swab were swabbed on or 24 hours prior to admission. RESULTS: There were 4,254 patients and an overall 30-day mortality of 0.99%. The excess surgical mortality in our region was 0.29%. There were 39 patients who were COVID-19 positive within 30 days of admission, 12 of whom died. All 12 were emergency admissions with a length of stay longer than 24 hours. There were three deaths among those who underwent day case surgery, one of whom was COVID-19 negative, and the other two were not swabbed but not suspected to have COVID-19. There were two COVID-19 positive elective cases and none in day case elective or emergency surgery. There were no COVID-19 positive deaths in elective or day case surgery. CONCLUSIONS: There was a low rate of COVID-19 transmission and mortality in elective and day case operations. Our data have allowed us to guide patients in the consent process and provided the evidence base to restart elective and day case operating with precautions and regular review. A number of regions will be similarly affected and should perform a review of their data for the winter period and beyond.

Adapting an emergency general surgery service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our emergency general surgery (EGS) service underwent significant restructuring, including establishing an enhanced ambulatory service and undertaking nonoperative management of selected pathologies. The aim of this study was to compare the activity of our EGS service before and after these changes. METHODS: Patients referred by the emergency department were identified prospectively over a 4-week period beginning from the date our EGS service was reconfigured (COVID) and compared with patients identified retrospectively from the same period the previous year (Pre-COVID), and followed up for 30 days. Data were extracted from handover documents and electronic care records. The primary outcomes were the rate of admission, ambulation and discharge. RESULTS: There were 281 and 283 patients during the Pre-COVID and COVID periods respectively. Admission rate decreased from 78.7% to 41.7%, while there were increased rates of ambulation from 7.1% to 17.3% and discharge from 6% to 22.6% (all p<0.001). For inpatients, mean duration of admission decreased (6.9 to 4.8 days), and there were fewer operative or endoscopic interventions (78 to 40). There were increased ambulatory investigations (11 to 39) and telephone reviews (0 to 39), while early computed tomography scan was increasingly used to facilitate discharge (5% vs 34.7%). There were no differences in 30-day readmission or mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Restructuring of our EGS service in response to COVID-19 facilitated an increased use of ambulatory services and imaging, achieving a decrease of 952 inpatient bed days in this critical period, while maintaining patient safety.

Surgical management protocol during the COVID-19 pandemic in an Italian non-referral center.

BACKGROUND: In the surgical scenario, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) diffusion worldwide entails on the one hand the need to continue to perform surgery at least in case of emergency or oncologic surgery, in patients with or without COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); and on the other hand, to avoid the pandemic diffusion both between patients and medical and nursing team. The aim of this study was to report our surgical management protocol during the COVID-19 pandemic in an Italian non-referral center. METHODS: Data retrieved during the outbreak for the COVID-19 pandemic, from March 8 to May 4, 2020 (study period) were analyzed and compared to data obtained during the same period in 2019 (control period). RESULTS: During the study period, 41 surgical procedures (24 electives, 17 emergency surgical procedures) underwent surgery in comparison to 99 procedures in the control period. Stratifying the procedures in elective and emergency surgery, and based on the indication for surgery, the only statistically significant difference was observed in the elective surgery regarding the abdominal wall surgery (0 vs. 13 procedures, P=0.0339). Statistically significant differences were not observed regarding the colorectal and the breast oncologic surgery. All stuff members were COVID-19 free. CONCLUSIONS: The present protocol proved to be safe and useful to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection before and after surgery for both patients and stuff. The pandemic was responsible for the reduction in number of procedures performed, anyway for the oncologic surgery a statistically significant volume reduction in comparison to 2019 was not observed.

COVID-19 pandemic did not affect emergency theatre patient demographic and length of stay in the first phase of UK countrywide lockdown in a district general hospital.

INTRODUCTION: We aim to identify any changes in outcome for patients undergoing nonelective surgery at the start of the UK pandemic in our district general hospital. This was a single-centre retrospective cohort review of a UK district general hospital serving a population of over 250,000 people. METHODS: Participants were all patients undergoing a surgical procedure in the acute theatre list between 23 March to 11 May in both 2019 and 2020. Primary outcome was 90-day postoperative mortality. Secondary outcomes include time to surgical intervention and length of inpatient stay. RESULTS: A total of 132 patients (2020) versus 141 (2019) patients were included. Although overall 90-day postoperative mortality was higher in 2020 (9.8%) compared with 2019 (5.7%), this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.196). In 2020, eight patients tested positive for COVID-19 either as an inpatient or within 2 weeks of discharge, of whom five patients died. Time to surgical intervention was significantly faster for NCEPOD (National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death) code 3 patients in 2020 than in 2019 (p=0.027). There were no significant differences in mean length of inpatient stay. CONCLUSIONS: We found that patients were appropriately prioritised using NCEPOD classification, with no statistically significant differences in 90-day postoperative mortality and length of inpatient stay compared with the 2019 period. A study on a larger scale would further elucidate the profile and outcomes of patients requiring acute surgery to generate statistical significance.

Emergency appendicectomy during COVID-19 pandemic - A single UK centre experience.

Background - In December 2019 following an outbreak of Novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, it spread rapidly overwhelming the healthcare systems globally. With little knowledge of COVID-19 virus, very few published reports on surgical outcomes; hospitals stopped elective surgery, whilst emergency surgery was offered only after exhausting all conservative treatment modalities. This study presents our experience of outcomes of emergency appendectomies performed during the pandemic. Methods - Prospectively we collected data on 132 patients in peak pandemic period from 1st March to 5th June 2020 and data compared with 206 patients operated in similar period in 2019. Patient demographics, presenting symptoms, pre-operative events, investigations, surgical management, postoperative outcomes and complications were analysed. Results - Demographics and ASA grades of both cohorts were comparable. In study cohort 84.4% and 96.7% in control cohort had laparoscopic appendicectomy. Whilst the study cohort had 13.6% primary open operations, control cohort had 5.3%. Mean length of stay and early post-operative complications (<30 days) were similar in both cohorts apart from surgical site infections (p = 0.02) and one mortality in study cohort. Conclusion - In these overwhelming pandemic times, although conservative treatment of acute appendicitis is an option, a proportion of patients will need surgery. Our study shows that with careful planning and strict theatre protocols, emergency appendicectomy can be safely offered with minimal risk of spreading COVID-19 infection. These observations warrant further prospective randomised studies. Keywords - appendicectomy, COVID-19, Coronavirus, emergency surgery, laparoscopy.

ENT surgical emergencies during the COVID-19 outbreak.

INTRODUCTION: The restrictive measures adopted by the Italian Government during the COVID-19 outbreak caused dramatic changes in routine public health care. Surprisingly, emergency activity also registered a reduction in frequency. METHODS: This multicentre retrospective study aims to investigate eventual changes in ENT surgical emergencies in a highly populated area of southern Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data concerning the period between the February 1 and the May 31, 2020 were collected from the main three hospitals in the district and compared with the same period of 2019. RESULTS: A substantial reduction was found in the number of ENT emergency interventions in 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, particularly in the main lockdown phase and in the tertiary referral centre. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in the absolute number of emergency ENT interventions can be only partially explained by social distancing and home confinement. We have reason to believe that some of these patients may have not sought medical support due to fear of nosocomial SARS-CoV2 infection. This study could represent a trigger for further implementation of health system responses to emergencies in a period of transition that is likely to last for a prolonged period of time.

Urological emergency activities during COVID-19 pandemic: Our experience.

BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is causing a significant health emergency which is overturning dramatically routine activities in hospitals. The outbreak is generating the need to provide assistance to infected patients and in parallel to treat all nondeferrable oncological and urgent benign diseases. A panel of Italian urologists agreed on possible strategies for the reorganization of urological routine practices and on a set of recommendations that should facilitate a further planning of both inpatient visits and surgical activities during the COVID- 19 pandemic. According to this only urgent benign and nondeferrable oncological activities have been kept. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have considered urgent outpatient visits requested by Emergency Department (ED) or by General Practitioner (GP) and emergency surgical procedures performed in our Urology Unit from March 9th to April 14th 2020, during COVID-19 pandemic. These figures have been compared to those observed last year from March 9th to April 14th 2019. RESULTS: Our data show that urgent care visits decreased during COCID-19 pandemic (from 293 to 179). Urgent care visits of patients who accessed directly to the ED decreased (from 219 to 107) whereas the number of urgent care visits referred by GP remained unchanged (74 vs 72). Consequently, the rate of visits from ED decreased from 75% to 60% and the rate of visit requested by GP increased from 25% to 40% (p = 0.001). Particularly, the rate of visits for renal colic, LUTS and other not precisely defined disorders from ED decreased and the corresponding rates of visits of patients referred by GPs increased significantly (p = 0.0001, p = 0.0180 and p = 0.0185, respectively). The rate of visits for acute urinary retention, hematuria, sepsis, acute scrotum, cystitis, prostatitis and genito-urinary trauma from ED and GP remained unchanged. Finally, urgency endourology and surgical activities have been stable in relation to the same period last year. CONCLUSIONS: Urological emergency activities during COVID- 19 pandemic are more appropriate since urgent outpatients' visits required by ED are decreased and emergency surgical and endourological procedures are stable.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on General Surgery Acute Admissions and Urgent Operations: A Comparative Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: As part of the effort to control the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) outbreak, strict emergency measures, including prolonged national curfews, have been imposed. Even in countries where healthcare systems still functioned, patients avoided visiting emergency departments (EDs) because of fears of exposure to COVID-19. OBJECTIVES: To describe the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on admissions of surgical patients from the ED and characteristics of urgent operations performed. METHODS: A prospective registry study comparing all patients admitted for acute surgical and trauma care between 15 March and 14 April 2020 (COVID-19) with patients admitted in the parallel time a year previously (control) was conducted. RESULTS: The combined cohort included 606 patients. There were 25% fewer admissions during the COVID-19 period (P < 0.0001). The COVID-19 cohort had a longer time interval from onset of symptoms (P < 0.001) and presented in a worse clinical condition as expressed by accelerated heart rate (P = 0.023), leukocyte count disturbances (P = 0.005), higher creatinine, and CRP levels (P < 0.001) compared with the control cohort. More COVID-19 patients required urgent surgery (P = 0.03) and length of ED stay was longer (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 epidemic, fewer patients presented to the ED requiring acute surgical care. Those who did, often did so in a delayed fashion and in worse clinical condition. More patients required urgent surgical interventions compared to the control period. Governments and healthcare systems should emphasize to the public not to delay seeking medical attention, even in times of crises.

How the COVID-19 Wave Changed Emergency Urology: Results From an Academic Tertiary Referral Hospital in the Epicentre of the Italian Red Zone.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify and characterize the burden of urological patients admitted to emergency department (ED) in Lombardy during Italian COVID-19 outbreak, comparing it to a reference population from 2019. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed all consecutive admissions to ED from 1 January to 9 April in both 2019 and 2020. According to the ED discharge ICD-9-CM code, patients were grouped in urological and respiratory patients. We evaluated the type of access (self-presented/ambulance), discharge priority code, ED discharge (hospitalization, home), need for urological consultation or urgent surgery. RESULTS: The number of urological diagnoses in ED was inversely associated to COVID-19 diagnoses (95% confidence interval -0.41/-0.19; Beta = -0.8; P < .0001). The average access per day was significantly lower after 10 March 2020 (1.5 ± 1.1 vs 6.5 ± 2.6; P < .0001), compared to reference period. From 11 March 2020, the inappropriate admissions to ED were reduced (10/45 vs 96/195; P = .001). Consequently, the patients admitted were generally more demanding, requiring a higher rate of urgent surgeries (4/45 vs 4/195; P = .02). This reflected in an increase of the hospitalization rate from 12.7% to 17.8% (Beta = 0.88; P < .0001) during 2020. CONCLUSION: Urological admissions to ED during lockdown differed from the same period of 2019 both qualitatively and quantitatively. The spectrum of patients seems to be relatively more critical, often requiring an urgent management. These patients may represent a challenge due to the difficult circumstances caused by the pandemic.

Management of cardiovascular emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that patients attending the emergency department with other pathologies may not have received optimal medical care due to the lockdown measures in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients presenting with cardiovascular emergencies to four tertiary regional emergency departments in western India during the government implementation of complete lockdown. RESULTS: 25.0% of patients during the lockdown period and 17.4% of patients during the pre-lockdown period presented outside the window period (presentation after 12 hours of symptom onset) compared with only 6% during the pre-COVID period. In the pre-COVID period, 46.9% of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction underwent emergent catheterisation, while in the pre-lockdown and lockdown periods, these values were 26.1% and 18.8%, respectively. The proportion of patients treated with intravenous thrombolytic therapy increased from 18.4% in the pre-COVID period to 32.3% in the post-lockdown period. Inhospital mortality for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) increased from 2.69% in the pre-COVID period to 7.27% in the post-lockdown period. There was also a significant decline in emergency admissions for non-ACS conditions, such as acute decompensated heart failure and high degree or complete atrioventricular block. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to delays in patients seeking care for cardiac problems and also affected the use of optimum therapy in our institutions.

Emergency response to COVID-19 epidemic: One Chinese blood centre's experience.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 epidemic has caused a significant global social and economic impact since December 2019. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the emergency response of a Chinese blood centre on maintaining both the safety and the sufficiency of blood supply during large, emerging, infectious epidemics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Early on in the outbreak of COVID-19, the Chengdu Blood Center developed strategies and implemented a series of measures, including enhanced recruitment efforts, addition of new donation deferral criteria and notification after donation, optimisation of donor experience, development and implementation of a new coronavirus nucleic acid detection technology platform for blood screening and screening all donations for SARS-CoV-2 RNA to maximumly protect the safety of blood supply during a time of unclear risk. RESULTS: Starting on February 20, the immediate satisfaction rate of blood product orders in Chengdu city's clinical settings reached 100%, and there was no case of blood transfusion infection. CONCLUSION: The recent experience during the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 reminded us that improvement in the areas of national and international collaborative programmes for dealing with blood availability and safety concerns during early stages of a disaster and regional and national mechanisms for timely communication with the general public on behalf of blood services should help to better prepare us for future disasters.

Impact of SARS-COV-2 pandemic on elective and emergency surgery in a university hospital. / Estudio del impacto de la pandemia por SARS-CoV-2 en la práctica quirúrgica urgente y electiva en un hospital de tercer nivel.

INTRODUCTION: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused an important impact in our country and elective surgery has been postponed in most cases. There's not known information about the decreasing and impact on surgery. Mortality of surgical patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection is estimated to be around 20%. METHODS: We conducted prospective data recruitment of people inpatient in our Digestive and General Surgery section of Girona's University Hospital Dr. Josep Trueta from 03/14 to 05/11. Our objective is to analyze the impact that SARS-CoV-2 pandemic over elective and urgent surgery. RESULTS: During the peak occupation of our center Intensive Care Unit (303.8%) there was a reduction on elective (93.8%) and urgent (72.7%) surgery. Mortality of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who underwent surgery (n=10) is estimated to be a 10%. An 80% of these patients suffer complications (sever complications in 30%). CONCLUSIONS: The actual study shows a global reduction of the surgical activity (elective and urgent) during de SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Global mortality of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection are low, but the severe complications have been over the usual.

The effect of emergency surgery on acute abdomen patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: a retrospective observational study.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, some patients with COVID-19 pneumonia also suffered from acute abdomen requiring surgical treatment; however, there is no consensus for the treatment of such patients. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed 34 patients with acute abdomen who underwent emergency surgery during the COVID-19 outbreak. Among the 34 patients with acute abdomen, a total of six cases were found with COVID-19 pneumonia (clinical classification for COVID-19 pneumonia: all were the common type). On the premise of similar demographics between both groups, patients with COVID-19 pneumonia had worse indicators of liver and coagulation function. Compared with acute abdomen patients without COVID-19, patients with COVID-19 pneumonia had a longer hospital stay, but there were no significant differences in postsurgical complications (P = 0.58) or clinical outcomes (P = 0.56). In addition, an obvious resolution of lung inflammation after surgery was observed in five COVID-19 patients (83.3%). No new COVID-19 cases occurred during the patients' hospital stays. Therefore, for the common type of COVID-19 pneumonia, emergency surgery could not only improve the outcomes of COVID-19 pneumonia patients with acute abdomen, but also benefit the resolution of pulmonary inflammation.

Hand injuries treated at a hand emergency center during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The recent coronavirus outbreak has tested the adaptability, cooperation and organizational capabilities of our healthcare systems. Restrictions were implemented in several countries to reduce virus transmission whilst emergency departments (ED) were overwhelmed and there was shortage of healthcare providers. Given this situation and the consequences of hand injuries, we studied the epidemiology of hand injuries in an accredited FESSH emergency center during the lockdown in France (March 17 to May 10, 2020) due to the coronavirus outbreak. During this period, 1947 patients consulted for a hand injury. We found high percentages of men (63%), open wounds (70%), domestic accidents (88%) and surgical treatment being required (76%). There was a significant decrease in admissions and consultations relative to the same period in 2019. This reference data can help healthcare systems prepare for future outbreaks and similar restrictions.

An overview of the situation of hand surgery in Spain during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly, collapsing many healthcare systems, and forcing them to adapt. Hand surgery has been indirectly affected by this scenario. This article aims to provide an overview on how Spanish hand surgeons have modified their daily practice. Based on a survey conducted nationwide, we observed a decrease in the number of emergency cases and cancellation of elective cases, shift to a more conservative treatment approach, use of personal protective equipment, and decrease in the number of outpatient visits and tests. Without definitive evidence at this point, knowing how we have dealt with the situation so far will help us adopt the needed measures to ensure both the patient's and surgeon's safety and manage available resources in future pandemics.