Effects of COVID‐19 lockdown on arrhythmias in patients with implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators in southern Italy. Issue 3 (12th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ducceschi, Valentino; de Divitiis, Marcello; Bianchi, Valter; Calvanese, Raimondo; Covino, Gregorio; Rapacciuolo, Antonio; Russo, Vincenzo; Canciello, Michelangelo; Volpicelli, Mario; Ammirati, Giuseppe; Sangiuolo, Raffaele; Papaccioli, Giovanni; Ciardiello, Carmine; Innocenti, Sara; D'Onofrio, Antonio
• Is Part Of: Journal of arrhythmia. Volume 38:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 439
• Page End: 445
• Publication Date: 2022-04-12
• Subjects: arrhythmias -- COVID‐19 -- ICD/CRT‐D -- lockdown -- remote monitoring; Arrhythmia -- Periodicals; Cardiac pacing -- Periodicals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Arrhythmia; Cardiac pacing; Periodicals; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.128
• DOI: 10.1002/joa3.12713
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1880-4276

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The effects of lockdown on non‐COVID patients are varied and unexpected. The aim is to evaluate the burden of cardiac arrhythmias during a lockdown period because of COVID‐19 pandemics in a population implanted with cardiac defibrillators and followed by remote monitoring. Methods: In this retrospective, multicentre cohort study, we included 574 remotely monitored implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy‐defibrillator (CRT‐D) recipients implanted before January 1, 2019, at seven hospitals in the Campania region, comparing the burden of arrhythmias occurred during the lockdown period because of COVID‐19 epidemics (from March 9 to May 1, 2020) with the arrhythmias burden of the corresponding period in 2019 (reference period). Data collection was performed through remote monitoring. Results: During the lockdown period, we observed ventricular tachyarrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation) in 25 (4.8%) patients while in seasonal reference period we documented ventricular tachyarrhythmias in 12 (2.3%) patients; the comparison between the periods is statistically significant ( P < .04). Atrial arrhythmias were detected in 38 (8.2%) subjects during the lockdown period and in 24 (5.2%) during the reference period ( P < .004). Conclusion: In seven hospitals in the Campania region, during the pandemic lockdown period, we observed a higher burden of arrhythmic events in ICD/CRT‐D patients through device remote monitoring. Abstract : In this retrospective, multicentre cohort study, we included 574 remotely monitored implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization devices (CRT‐D) recipients, comparing the burden of arrhythmias occurred during the lockdown period due to COVID‐19 epidemics (from March 9th to May 1st 2020) with the arrhythmias burden of the corresponding period in 2019. #10;During pandemics lockdown period we observed an higher burden of arrhythmic events in ICD/CRT‐D patients followed up through device remote monitoring. #10;