Comparison of reorganized versus unaltered cardiology departments during the COVID-19 era: A subanalysis of the COV-HF-SIRIO 6 study.

BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, numerous cardiology departments were reorganized to provide care for COVID-19 patients. We aimed to compare the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital admissions and in-hospital mortality in reorganized vs. unaltered cardiology departments. METHODS: The present research is a subanalysis of a multicenter retrospective COV-HF-SIRIO 6 study that includes all patients (n = 101,433) hospitalized in 24 cardiology departments in Poland between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020, with a focus on patients with acute heart failure (AHF). RESULTS: Reduction of all-cause hospitalizations was 50.6% vs. 21.3% for reorganized vs. unaltered cardiology departments in 2020 vs. 2019, respectively (p < 0.0001). Considering AHF alone respective reductions by 46.5% and 15.2% were registered (p < 0.0001). A higher percentage of patients was brought in by ambulance to reorganized vs. unaltered cardiology departments (51.7% vs. 34.6%; p < 0.0001) alongside with a lower rate of self-referrals (45.7% vs. 58.4%; p < 0.0001). The rate of all-cause in-hospital mortality in AHF patients was higher in reorganized than unaltered cardiology departments (10.9% vs. 6.4%; p < 0.0001). After the exclusion of patients with concomitant COVID-19, the mortality rates did not differ significantly (6.9% vs. 6.4%; p = 0.55). CONCLUSIONS: A greater reduction in hospital admissions in 2020 vs. 2019, higher rates of patients brought by ambulance together with lower rates of self-referrals and higher all-cause in-hospital mortality for AHF due to COVID-19 related deaths were observed in cardiology departments reorganized to provide care for COVID-19 patients vs. unaltered ones.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on acute heart failure admissions and mortality: a multicentre study (COV-HF-SIRIO 6 study).

AIMS: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the landscape of medical care delivery worldwide. We aimed to assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on hospital admissions and in-hospital mortality rate in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) in a retrospective, multicentre study. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020, a total of 101 433 patients were hospitalized in 24 Cardiology Departments in Poland. The number of patients admitted due to AHF decreased by 23.4% from 9853 in 2019 to 7546 in 2020 (P < 0.001). We noted a significant reduction of self-referrals in the times of COVID-19 pandemic accounting 27.8% (P < 0.001), with increased number of AHF patients brought by an ambulance by 15.9% (P < 0.001). The length of hospital stay was overall similar (7.7 ± 2.8 vs. 8.2 ± 3.7 days; P = not significant). The in-hospital all-cause mortality in AHF patients was 444 (5.2%) in 2019 vs. 406 (6.5%) in 2020 (P < 0.001). A total number of AHF patients with concomitant COVID-19 was 239 (3.2% of AHF patients hospitalized in 2020). The rate of in-hospital deaths in AHF patients with COVID-19 was extremely high accounting 31.4%, reaching up to 44.1% in the peak of the pandemic in November 2020. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic led to (i) reduced hospital admissions for AHF; (ii) decreased number of self-referred AHF patients and increased number of AHF patients brought by an ambulance; and (iii) increased in-hospital mortality for AHF with very high mortality rate for concomitant AHF and COVID-19.

[Echocardiographic examination of cardiac structure and function in male athletes of static and dynamic disciplines]. / Porównanie wybranych parametrów echoakardiograficznych u sportowców poddanych róznym rodzajom treningu.

UNLABELLED: Practising a record-seeking sport may in consequence lead to morphological and functional changes in a heart muscle. The physiological changes which are result of heart's adaptation to a greater physical effort are called "sportsman's heart". AIM OF THE THESIS: The value of echocardiographic tests in detecting and designating frequency of occurrence of heart abnormalities in sportsmen. The comparison of echocardiographic, functional and morphological adaptation changes in a group of sportsmen of both static and dynamic disciplines. The safety of practising football and bodybuilding. The influence of length of time when the sport is practised on the quantity of echocardiographic parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The material analysed in the doctor's thesis consists of a group of 40 men practising a static sport and a group of 40 men subjected to dynamic effort, as well as a control group of 30 men who do not practise any sport. In all the examined men the analysis comprises echocardiographic examination. The analysis deals with morphology and function of heart's structures: the left and the right ventricles, atrium and valves, on the basis of echocardiography The data is evaluated in each group of sportsmen (frequency of occurrence of heart abnormalities in sportsmen) and compared both between the record-seekers practising two kinds of training, and between the record-seekers and the control group. RESULTS: Adaptation changes of the left ventricle in the sportsmen practising static disciplines showed thickening of walls of the left ventricle with the lessening of its inner size, so called concentric hypertrophy. Thickness of walls of the left ventricle did not exceed 12 mm in diastole in 97% of the examined. In the dynamic group a slight growth in thickness of the walls with the delatation of the left ventricle's cavity was observed in relation to the sportsmen of the static group (p < 0.002). In both groups of sportsmen a significantly higher than in the control group mass index of the left ventricle was noted, (however, it did not exceed 130g/m2) and the size of the left atrium (p < 0.05) and of right ventricle (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The left ventricle's adaptation changes to static and dynamic effort differ. In the group of static effort there is noted a larger growth of walls' thickness with the smaller size of the left ventricle in comparison with the dynamic effort group. However, hypertrophy of the left ventricle walls occurs rarely and is usually small, more intense in the group subjected to static effort. Some parameters of the right ventricle's morphology differed significantly statistically in both groups of sportsmen. Nevertheless, physical effort causes changes in the right ventricle's morphology, irrespectively of the sort of the practised sport. Record-seeking football and bodybuilding turned out to be safe in the examined group. The length of time when the sport was practised does not affect the quantity of the monitored echocardiographic parameters.

[ECG and 24-hour ECG findings in athletes of static and dynamic disciplines]. / Badanie EKG oraz 24-godzinna rejestracja EKG metoda Holtera u sportowców poddanych róznym rodzajom treningu.

UNLABELLED: Endurance sports are associated with structural and functional changes in the myocardium. Physiologic changes representing cardiac adaptation to training are termed "athletic heart". THE AIM: We compared the incidence of arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities in athletes of static and dynamic sports using resting and 24 hour electrocardiography. We also studied the effect of physiologic left ventricular hypertrophy on the incidence of arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities in athletes, as well as of training duration on electrocardiographic parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We enrolled 40 male athletes of static and 40 of dynamic sports, as well as 30 normally active males. A 12-lead resting ECG, 24 hour ECG, and echocardiography were done. RESULTS: The resting heart reate in athletes was significantly slower (p < 0.0001). No intervals longer than 3s, bundle branch or atrioventricular blocks were disclosed. The finding of left ventricular bypertrophy and training duration had no significant effect on the presence and number of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias or blocks. CONCLUSION: Resting ECG, echocardiography, and 24 hour ECG provide valuable cardiologic information in athletes. The heart rate was slower in all athletes and the PQ interval was longer as compared with controls. No serious arrhythmias or conduction abnormalities were noted. The duration of training and the presence of myocardial hypertrophy had no effect on electrocardiographic parameters.

[Value of dobutamine stress echocardiography for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in women with aortic valve stenosis]. / Wartosc diagnostyczna echokardiograficznej próby obciazeniowej z dobutamina w rozpoznawaniu choroby wiencowej u kobiet ze zweeniem zastawki aortalnej.

UNLABELLED: Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is widely used for diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, data regarding the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in patients with moderately elevated maximal gradient across the stenosed aortic valve (AS) are limited. This study was designed to the value of DSE in the diagnosis of CAD in women with moderately elevated maximal gradient across the AS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: DSE was performed in 162 patients within the multicentre study. The group included 58 (mean age 61 +/- 13 years) females and 104 (mean age 58 +/- 13 years) males. DSE was performed with step-wise infusion every three minutes (5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 microg/kg/min). If the target heart rate was not reached, a further dose of 40 mcg/kg/min. together with atropine 0.25-1 mg was administered, in the absence of signs and symptoms of ischemia. Ischaemia was defined as new or worsened wall motion abnormalities at echocardiography. Coronarography was performed according to generally accepted indications. The significant coronary artery disease (>1 = 50% luminal diameter stenosis) of one of the major epicardial vessel was accepted as positive result for making the diagnosis of CAD. RESULTS: There was significant difference at rest between women and men with regard to left ventricular diastolic diameter (47.7 +/- 6.5 vs 55.6 +/- 8.8 mm), systolic diameter (30.1 +/- 7.9 vs 38.1 +/- 11.5 mm), ejection fraction (67 +/- 12 vs 55 +/- 17%), wall motion score index (1.05 +/- 0.17 vs 1.22 +/- 0.36) p<0.001. There were also a significant difference in left ventricular mass index and diastolic septum diameter (131 +/- 48 vs 152 +/- 46) and (12.5 + 2.7 vs 13.5 +/- 2.6 mm). Dobutamine peak dose was 31 +/- 11 microg/kg/min. The mean heart rate, mean systolic pressure and diastolic pressure were 114 +/- 26/min, 143 +/- 26 and 81 +/- 15 mmHg respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of DSE for the diagnosis of CAD in women were 77.8%, 95.8% and 90.9%. Those in men were 72.7%, 78.8% and 75.6%, respectively (NS). CONCLUSION: The diagnostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in women with stenosed aortic valve is high. DSE is good method for the diagnosis.