Open AccessVentricular arrhythmias among patients with implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Author(s) -
Malanchini G.,
Ferrari P.,
Leidi C.,
Ferrari G.,
Racheli M.,
Senni M.,
De Filippo P.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of arrhythmia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.463
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1883-2148
pISSN - 1880-4276
DOI - 10.1002/joa3.12518
Subject(s) - medicine , pandemic , covid-19 , implantable cardioverter defibrillator , incidence (geometry) , shock (circulatory) , cardiology , emergency medicine , disease , physics , infectious disease (medical specialty) , optics
Abstract Background Coronavirus Disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) has been associated with myocardial injury and higher risk of arrhythmic complications. However, no reports are available about the effect of the ongoing pandemic on arrhythmias in patients at risk. Objective To describe the effect of COVID‐19 pandemic on arrhythmic burden among high‐risk patients. Methods This is a cross‐sectional study on the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) during the pandemic outbreak (study period), compared to the same timeframe in 2019 (reference period). Inclusion criteria were age (>18 years) and having an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD). Results Among 455 patients enrolled (mean age 64.9 ± 15.7 years; 25.1% females and 39.6% with CRTD), in the study period, 45 (9.9%) patients experienced a total of 86 VA; 8 patients (1.7%) required antitachycardia‐pacing (ATP) and 6 (1.3%) at least one shock. In the reference period, a total of 69 events occurred in 36 patients (7.9%). Six patients (1.3%) required ATP and three (0.7%) at least one shock. The number of patients that suffered from any arrhythmic events in the study period (9.9% vs 7.9%) did not significantly differ from the reference period (χ 2 = 1.09, P = .29). The main predictor of VA during the COVID‐19 pandemic was the previous history of any ICD therapy (OR = 3.84, P < .001). Conclusions No evidence of an increase of arrhythmic burden was found during the COVID‐19 pandemic among patients with an ICD.