Abstract
Background
International and small Australian studies suggest a decrease in hospital presentations for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine the impact of local COVID-19 cases and lockdowns on the numbers and methods of ACS presentations to emergency departments (EDs) in Victoria, Australia.
Methods
Using the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset, we examined data for ACS presentations (n=54,950) to public EDs between January 2016 and June 2021. We examined the impact of COVID and lockdowns on the monthly number of ACS patients presenting to EDs by local government area level (LGA) using negative binomial regression, and how people presented using logistic regression. When applicable we adjusted for changing population in each LGA, general trend, seasonality and regionality. Separate analyses were conducted for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable angina (UA).
Results
The monthly presence of COVID cases in an LGA was associated with 14.5% (9.7–19.0%) reduction in AMI presentations and a 16.3% (9.5–22.6%) reduction in UA presentations. The association between whether an LGA was in lockdown and the number of presentations was not statistically significant after controlling for the presence of COVID in the LGA. There was no change seen in patients presenting to ED via their general practitioner or in presentations to ED by ambulance.
Conclusion
Our data confirm the concerning decrease seen in Victorian ACS cases presenting to hospital during the Victorian pandemic, and suggest this may be related to the occurrence of local COVID cases rather than lockdowns.
International and small Australian studies suggest a decrease in hospital presentations for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine the impact of local COVID-19 cases and lockdowns on the numbers and methods of ACS presentations to emergency departments (EDs) in Victoria, Australia.
Methods
Using the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset, we examined data for ACS presentations (n=54,950) to public EDs between January 2016 and June 2021. We examined the impact of COVID and lockdowns on the monthly number of ACS patients presenting to EDs by local government area level (LGA) using negative binomial regression, and how people presented using logistic regression. When applicable we adjusted for changing population in each LGA, general trend, seasonality and regionality. Separate analyses were conducted for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable angina (UA).
Results
The monthly presence of COVID cases in an LGA was associated with 14.5% (9.7–19.0%) reduction in AMI presentations and a 16.3% (9.5–22.6%) reduction in UA presentations. The association between whether an LGA was in lockdown and the number of presentations was not statistically significant after controlling for the presence of COVID in the LGA. There was no change seen in patients presenting to ED via their general practitioner or in presentations to ED by ambulance.
Conclusion
Our data confirm the concerning decrease seen in Victorian ACS cases presenting to hospital during the Victorian pandemic, and suggest this may be related to the occurrence of local COVID cases rather than lockdowns.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | s206 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Heart Lung and Circulation |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | Supplement 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2022 |
| Event | Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting 2022 - Gold Coast, Gold Coast, Australia Duration: 11 Aug 2022 → 14 Aug 2022 Conference number: 70th https://www.heartlungcirc.org/issue/S1443-9506(22)X0010-3 |