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Multicenter Study
. 2020 Dec;22(12):2219-2224.
doi: 10.1002/ejhf.1986. Epub 2020 Sep 28.

Temporal trends in decompensated heart failure and outcomes during COVID-19: a multisite report from heart failure referral centres in London

Antonio Cannatà #  1   2 , Daniel I Bromage #  1   2 , Irfan A Rind  2 , Caterina Gregorio  3 , Clare Bannister  1   2 , Mohammed Albarjas  4 , Susan Piper  2 , Ajay M Shah  1   2 , Theresa A McDonagh  1   2
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Temporal trends in decompensated heart failure and outcomes during COVID-19: a multisite report from heart failure referral centres in London

Antonio Cannatà et al. Eur J Heart Fail. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Aims: Admission rates for acute decompensated heart failure (HF) declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the impact of this reduction on hospital mortality is unknown. We describe temporal trends in the presentation of patients with acute HF and their in-hospital outcomes at two referral centres in London during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods and results: A total of 1372 patients hospitalized for HF in two referral centres in South London between 7 January and 14 June 2020 were included in the study and their outcomes compared with those of equivalent patients of the same time period in 2019. The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. The number of HF hospitalizations was significantly reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with 2019 (P < 0.001). Specifically, we observed a temporary reduction in hospitalizations during the COVID-19 peak, followed by a return to 2019 levels. Patients admitted during the COVID-19 pandemic had demographic characteristics similar to those admitted during the equivalent period in 2019. However, in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in 2020 than in 2019 (P = 0.015). Hospitalization in 2020 was independently associated with worse in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio 2.23, 95% confidence interval 1.34-3.72; P = 0.002).

Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic there was a reduction in HF hospitalization and a higher rate of in-hospital mortality. Hospitalization for HF in 2020 is independently associated with more adverse outcomes. Further studies are required to investigate the predictors of these adverse outcomes to help inform potential changes to the management of HF patients while some constraints to usual care remain.

Keywords: COVID-19; Heart failure; Hospitalization; In-hospital mortality; Trends.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Temporal trends in decompensated heart failure hospital admissions during the COVID‐19 pandemic and in the corresponding period in 2019.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Kaplan–Meier curves for in‐hospital mortality in 2020 vs. 2019. (A) In‐hospital mortality in the total population from January to 14 June. (B) In‐hospital mortality in patients admitted during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
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References

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