IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON ST-SEGMENT-ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION ADMISSIONS AND OUTCOME IN THE NORTH OF IRAN.

Objectives: To determine the incidence of ST-Elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), patterns of care, and outcomes during the COVID-19 era in a hot-spot region. Methodology: From February to April 2020, all the STEMI patients were recruited and compared with the STEMI patients in the equivalent period of the previous year. Demographic and clinical information, coronary angiography data, and in-hospital mortality were collected and compared with the non-COVID-19 group. All data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 20. Results: There was found a 40% reduction in STEMI admissions during the COVID-19 era compared to the equivalent period in 2019 (55 vs. 92, Rate Ratio (RR):0.60, 95% CI, 0.49-0.70, p<0.001). Compared with the pre-COVID-19 study group, STEMI patients hospitalized during the pandemic were significantly younger (mean age: 56.10 in 2020 vs. 60.83 in 2019 p=0.012). The percentage of primary percutaneous coronary intervention referral was significantly higher than the previous year (47.8% vs. 75.9% p=0.001). In-hospital death occurred in 4 (4.4%) of STEMI patients admitted before the COVID-19 time, while none of the COVID-19 period studied cases died in hospital (p=0.298). Conclusion: Admissions for STEMI were substantially reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. No changes in overall in-hospital mortality or quality indicators were detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]