AIMS: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to changes in health care utilization for different acute cardiovascular diseases. Whether hospitalization rates and in-hospital mortality were affected by the pandemic in patients with acute symptomatic heart failure (HF) was investigated in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Administrative data provided by 67 German Helios hospitals were examined for patients with a main discharge diagnosis of HF using ICD codes. Urgent hospital admissions per day were compared for a study period (13 March-21 May 2020) with control intervals in 2020 (1 January-12 March) and 2019 (13 March-21 May), resulting in a total of 13 484 patients excluding all patients with laboratory-proven COVID-19 infection. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated using Poisson regression. Generalized linear mixed models were used for univariable and multivariable analysis to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality. The number of admissions per day was lower in the study period compared to the same year [IRR 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67-0.73, P < 0.01] and the previous year control group (IRR 0.73, 95% CI 0.70-0.76, P < 0.01). Age was similar throughout the intervals, but case severity increased in terms of distribution within New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes and comorbidities. Within the study period, 30-day rates for urgent hospital readmissions were higher compared to the same year but not the previous year control group. In-hospital mortality was 7.3% in the study period, 6.1% in the same year (P = 0.03) and 6.0% in the previous year control group (P = 0.02). In multivariable analysis, age, NYHA class and other predictors of fatal outcome were identified but hospitalization during the study period was not independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Our data showed a significant reduction of urgent hospital admissions for HF with increased case severity and concomitant in-hospital mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Identifying causes of reduced inpatient treatment rates is essential for the understanding and valuation with regard to future optimal management of patients with HF.
AIMS: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to changes in health care utilization for different acute cardiovascular diseases. Whether hospitalization rates and in-hospital mortality were affected by the pandemic in patients with acute symptomatic heart failure (HF) was investigated in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Administrative data provided by 67 German Helios hospitals were examined for patients with a main discharge diagnosis of HF using ICD codes. Urgent hospital admissions per day were compared for a study period (13 March-21 May 2020) with control intervals in 2020 (1 January-12 March) and 2019 (13 March-21 May), resulting in a total of 13 484 patients excluding all patients with laboratory-proven COVID-19infection. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated using Poisson regression. Generalized linear mixed models were used for univariable and multivariable analysis to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality. The number of admissions per day was lower in the study period compared to the same year [IRR 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67-0.73, P < 0.01] and the previous year control group (IRR 0.73, 95% CI 0.70-0.76, P < 0.01). Age was similar throughout the intervals, but case severity increased in terms of distribution within New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes and comorbidities. Within the study period, 30-day rates for urgent hospital readmissions were higher compared to the same year but not the previous year control group. In-hospital mortality was 7.3% in the study period, 6.1% in the same year (P = 0.03) and 6.0% in the previous year control group (P = 0.02). In multivariable analysis, age, NYHA class and other predictors of fatal outcome were identified but hospitalization during the study period was not independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Our data showed a significant reduction of urgent hospital admissions for HF with increased case severity and concomitant in-hospital mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Identifying causes of reduced inpatient treatment rates is essential for the understanding and valuation with regard to future optimal management of patients with HF.
Authors: Shih-An Liu; Chieh-Liang Wu; I-Ju Chou; Pa-Chun Wang; Chia-Ling Hsu; Chia-Pei Chen Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-02-17 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Mateusz Sokolski; Sander Trenson; Justyna M Sokolska; Domenico D'Amario; Philippe Meyer; Nana K Poku; Tor Biering-Sørensen; Mats C Højbjerg Lassen; Kristoffer G Skaarup; Eduardo Barge-Caballero; Anne-Catherine Pouleur; Davide Stolfo; Gianfranco Sinagra; Klemens Ablasser; Viktoria Muster; Peter P Rainer; Markus Wallner; Alessandra Chiodini; Pascal S Heiniger; Fran Mikulicic; Judith Schwaiger; Stephan Winnik; Huseyin A Cakmak; Margherita Gaudenzi; Massimo Mapelli; Irene Mattavelli; Matthias Paul; Irina Cabac-Pogorevici; Claire Bouleti; Marzia Lilliu; Chiara Minoia; Jeroen Dauw; Jérôme Costa; Ahmet Celik; Nathan Mewton; Carlos E L Montenegro; Yuya Matsue; Goran Loncar; Michal Marchel; Aris Bechlioulis; Lampros Michalis; Marcus Dörr; Edgard Prihadi; Felix Schoenrath; Daniel R Messroghli; Wilfried Mullens; Lars H Lund; Giuseppe M C Rosano; Piotr Ponikowski; Frank Ruschitzka; Andreas J Flammer Journal: ESC Heart Fail Date: 2021-09-17
Authors: Sebastian König; Laura Ueberham; Vincent Pellissier; Sven Hohenstein; Andreas Meier-Hellmann; Holger Thiele; Vusal Ahmadli; Michael A Borger; Ralf Kuhlen; Gerhard Hindricks; Andreas Bollmann Journal: Clin Cardiol Date: 2021-01-26 Impact factor: 3.287
Authors: Andreas Bollmann; Sven Hohenstein; Vincent Pellissier; Katharina Stengler; Peter Reichardt; Jörg-Peter Ritz; Holger Thiele; Michael A Borger; Gerhard Hindricks; Andreas Meier-Hellmann; Ralf Kuhlen Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-03-25 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Nathalie Maehl; Markus Bleckwenn; Steffi G Riedel-Heller; Sebastian Mehlhorn; Stefan Lippmann; Tobias Deutsch; Anne Schrimpf Journal: Front Med (Lausanne) Date: 2021-12-15
Authors: Sebastian König; Vincent Pellissier; Johannes Leiner; Sven Hohenstein; Laura Ueberham; Andreas Meier-Hellmann; Ralf Kuhlen; Gerhard Hindricks; Andreas Bollmann Journal: Clin Cardiol Date: 2021-12-23 Impact factor: 2.882