Abstract
Objective: Hospitalization rate and the door-to-balloon time in STEMI patients during the COVID-19 epidemic period at Vietnam National Heart Institute, Bach Mai Hospital and survey the mortality rate and major cardiovascular events during hospital stay in the above patients. Methods: Retrospective study on 929 patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction first diagnosed at Vietnam National Heart Institute, Bach Mai Hospital from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. These patients are divided into two groups: the pre-COVID-19 group (2019) and the COVID-19 epidemic group (2020 and 2021). Comparison characteristics of hospitalized STEMI patients during the COVID-19 outbreak with those of STEMI hospitalized during the corresponding time period in 2019. Primary outcomes included mortality and other outcomes major cardiovascular events during hospital stay in a group of hospitalized STEMI patients during the COVID-19 outbreak.Results: There were 350 patients hospitalized in 2020, an increase of 18.2% compared to the number of hospitalizations in 2019. 283 patients hospitalized in 2021, a decrease of 4.4% compared to the number of hospitalizations in 2019. The wave of epidemics taking place in the months of April, August, September, October of 2020 and July, August, September of 2021 made the number of STEMI hospitalized cases lower than the corresponding months of 2019. The mean door-to-balloon time and ischemic time of the group during the COVID-19 epidemic period were 14.6 hours and 37.9 hours, respectively, longer than the group before the COVID-19 period, respectively, 10.1 hours and 31.5 hours, the difference is statistically significant, p<0.05. The rate of mechanical complications in the group of patients during the COVID-19 epidemic period was higher than the pre-COVID-19 period (4,4% vs 1.4%, p=0.008). There were no differences in mortality, severe heart failure, or dangerous arrhythmias between the two groups before and during the COVID-19 outbreak.Conclusion: The distribution of STEMI patients hospitalized during the peak months of the COVID-19 period decreased compared with the corresponding months of the pre-epidemic period, prolongation of the door-to-balloon time, the time of myocardial ischemia, and an increase in the rate of mechanical complications in hospitalized STEMI patients during the COVID-19 outbreak compared with that in the previous year. However, the rates of death, severe heart failure, and dangerous arrhythmias have not been found to be significantly different compared to the period before the COVID-19 epidemic.