Effect of Respiratory Impairment on the Outcomes of Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19)

Effects of SARS-COV-2 infection on outcomes in patients hospitalized for acute cardiac conditions. A prospective, multicenter cohort study (Swiss Cardiovascular SARS-CoV-2 Consortium)

Background

Although the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) primarily affects the respiratory system, the disease entity has been associated with cardiovascular complications. This study sought to assess the effect of concomitant SARS-COV-2 infection on clinical outcomes of patients hospitalized primarily for acute cardiac conditions on cardiology wards in Switzerland.

Methods

In this prospective, observational study conducted in 5 Swiss cardiology centers during the COVID-19 pandemic, patients hospitalized due to acute cardiac conditions underwent a reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test at the time of admission and were categorized as SARS-COV-2 positive (cases) or negative (controls). Patients hospitalized on cardiology wards underwent treatment for the principal acute cardiac condition according to local practice. Clinical outcomes were recorded in-hospital, at 30 days, and after 1 year and compared between cases and controls. To adjust for imbalanced baseline characteristics, a subgroup of patients derived by propensity matching was analyzed.

Results

Between March 2020 and February 2022, 538 patients were enrolled including 122 cases and 416 controls. Mean age was 68.0 ± 14.7 years, and 75% were men. Compared with controls, SARS-COV-2-positive patients more commonly presented with acute heart failure (35% vs. 17%) or major arrhythmia (31% vs. 9%), but less commonly with acute coronary syndrome (26% vs. 53%) or severe aortic stenosis (4% vs. 18%). Mortality was significantly higher in cases vs. controls in-hospital (16% vs. 1%), at 30 days (19.0% vs. 2.2%), and at 1 year (28.7% vs. 7.6%: p < 0.001 for all); this was driven primarily (up to 30 days) and exclusively (at one-year follow-up) by higher non-cardiovascular mortality, and was accompanied by a greater incidence of worsening renal function in cases vs. controls. These findings were maintained in a propensity-matched subgroup of 186 patients (93 cases and 93 controls) with balanced clinical presentation and baseline characteristics.

Conclusions

In this observational study of patients hospitalized for acute cardiac conditions, SARS-COV-2 infection at index hospitalization was associated with markedly higher all-cause and non-cardiovascular mortality throughout one-year follow-up. These findings highlight the need for effective, multifaceted management of both cardiac and non-cardiac morbidities and prolonged surveillance in patients with acute cardiac conditions complicated by SARS-COV-2 infection.

Coronary Heart Disease and Coronavirus Disease 2019: Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Association with Myocardial Revascularization

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes a hypercoagulable state with a high incidence of thrombotic complications. Patients with a history of myocardial revascularization have more severe complications due to COVID-19. Coronary stent thrombosis has become significantly more common during the COVID-19 pandemic. AIM: The aim of our study is to analyze scientific information on the risks of stent thrombosis in patients who underwent COVID-19. METHODS: A search was made for scientific publications in evidence-based medicine databases and web resources: PubMed, MEDLINE, UpToDate, TripDatabase, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria were: (1) Observational studies or case series involving patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and myocardial infarction requiring myocardial revascularization; (2) the division of the population into survivors and non-survivors; and (3) data on the presence of the previous myocardial revascularization. Exclusion criteria: Case description and editorials/bulletins. In all articles selected for further analysis, 49 sources were considered that met the inclusion criteria and excluded duplication or repetition of information. RESULTS: Coronavirus infection has contributed to the change in the course of myocardial infarction in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. The incidence of stent thrombosis has a positive correlation with the severity of the coronavirus infection. The previous myocardial revascularization procedures significantly increase the risk of mortality in patients with coronavirus infection. This is especially actual for elderly patients. CONCLUSION: One of the most vulnerable groups is elderly patients who have undergone myocardial revascularization after myocardial infarction in the past and have concomitant diseases. An analysis of scientific publications has shown that further larger-scale clinical studies are needed to confirm the hypothesis about the negative impact of coronavirus infection on stent thrombosis in patients who have undergone COVID-19.

Symptomatology, prognosis and clinical findings of STEMI as a ramification of COVID-19: A systematic review and proportion meta-analysis

Background

There is an increasing COVID-19 population with concurrent STEMI. SARS-CoV-2 poses a significant risk of hypercoagulable and/or prothrombotic events due to the disturbance in hemostasis by affecting all three components of the Virchow's triad. These abnormalities in hemostasis are an increased risk factor for cardiovascular events, including acute thrombotic occlusion of coronary arteries leading to myocardial infarction.

Objective

The objective of this study is to collate the prognosis, symptomatology and clinical findings of COVID-19 adverse events causing STEMI.

Methods

Databases were queried with various keyword combinations to find applicable articles. Cardiovascular risk factors, symptomatology, mortality and rates of PCI were analyzed using random-effect model.

Results

15 studies with a total of 379 patients were included in the final analysis. Mean age of patients was 62.82 ± 36.01, with a male predominance (72%, n = 274). Hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus were the most common cardiovascular risk factors among these patients, with a pooled proportion of 72%, 59% and 40% respectively. Dyspnea (61%, n = 131) was the most frequent presenting symptom, followed by chest pain (60%, n = 101) and fever (56%, n = 104). 62% of the patients had obstructive CAD during coronary angiography. The primary reperfusion method used in the majority of cases was percutaneous coronary intervention (64%, n = 124). Mortality, which is the primary outcome in our study, was relatively high, with a rate of 34% across studies.

Conclusion

Our findings show that most cases have been found in males, while the most common risk factors were Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus. In most COVID-19 cases with ST-segment myocardial infarction, most hospitalized patients underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention instead of fibrinolysis. The in-hospital mortality was significantly higher, making this report significant. As the sample size and reported study are considerably less, it warrants a further large-scale investigation to generalize it.

Comparison of the Characteristics, Management, and Outcomes of STEMI Patients Presenting With vs. Those of Patients Presenting Without COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the differences in the characteristics, management, and clinical outcomes of patients with and that of those without coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection who had ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods

Databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched up to July 2021. Observational studies that reported on the characteristics, management, or clinical outcomes and those published as full-text articles were included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of all included studies.

Results

A total of 27,742 patients from 13 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Significant delay in symptom onset to first medical contact (SO-to-FMC) time (mean difference = 23.42 min; 95% CI: 5.85–40.99 min; p = 0.009) and door-to-balloon (D2B) time (mean difference = 12.27 min; 95% CI: 5.77–18.78 min; p = 0.0002) was observed in COVID-19 patients. Compared to COVID-19 negative patients, those who are positive patients had significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and thrombus grade (p < 0.05) and showed more frequent use of thrombus aspiration and glycoprotein IIbIIIa (Gp2b3a) inhibitor (p < 0.05). COVID-19 positive patients also had higher rates of in-hospital mortality (OR = 5.98, 95% CI: 4.78–7.48, p < 0.0001), cardiogenic shock (OR = 2.75, 95% CI: 2.02–3.76, p < 0.0001), and stent thrombosis (OR = 5.65, 95% CI: 2.41–13.23, p < 0.0001). They were also more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) (OR = 4.26, 95% CI: 2.51–7.22, p < 0.0001) and had a longer length of stay (mean difference = 4.63 days; 95% CI: 2.56–6.69 days; p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

This study revealed that COVID-19 infection had an impact on the time of initial medical intervention for patients with STEMI after symptom onset and showed that COVID-19 patients with STEMI were more likely to have thrombosis and had poorer outcomes.