Acute infective endocarditis during COVID-19 pandemic time: The dark side of the moon

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Hospital Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered hospital management and patient demographics for acute cardiovascular syndromes.
• Acute infective endocarditis (AIE) emerged as a frequent condition necessitating urgent surgical procedures during the pandemic.
• Previous research indicated higher-risk features in AIE patients during early pandemic waves.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comment on hospital management strategies for AIE patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To discuss the outcomes of AIE patients in relation to the pandemic.
• To highlight aspects requiring further investigation regarding AIE management and outcomes post-discharge.

Main Methods:

• Review and commentary on existing literature regarding AIE during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Analysis of patient profiles and hospital admission features.
• Comparison of outcomes between pandemic and pre-pandemic AIE cases.

Main Results:

• Patients with AIE during the pandemic presented with higher-risk features.
• Despite challenging operations, AIE patients during the pandemic did not experience worse outcomes compared to pre-pandemic cohorts.
• The study emphasizes the need for further investigation into hospital management and post-discharge outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Hospital management and patient profiles for acute cardiovascular syndromes, including AIE, were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• While AIE patients during the pandemic showed higher-risk indicators, their outcomes were comparable to pre-pandemic levels.
• Further research is warranted to fully understand and optimize hospital management and post-discharge care for AIE patients in the context of pandemics.