[Changes in cardiac implantable electronic device follow-up induced by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020: report of a single-centre experience].

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has greatly modified outpatient follow-ups. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the organizational modalities and clinical effects of rearrangements of pacemaker (PM) and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) outpatient visits performed in our centers at Ravenna and Lugo Hospitals, Italy, during the pandemic outbreak in 2020.

METHODS

All scheduled in-person device follow-up visits in March-December 2020 have been considered. On the basis of documented past functioning of each device and of remote monitoring (RM) capabilities, in-person visits were either performed or postponed at variable times. The characteristics of the follow-ups and the device-related clinically relevant events were analyzed, the latter being further divided into serious malfunction and problems to be corrected by device reprogramming.

RESULTS

Overall, 27% of in-person visits were postponed (n = 576) (36% of ICDs and 25% of PMs), peaking 62% in March-May 2020. RM compensated nearly all hold-ups in ICDs and just 63% of postponements in PMs. The postponement-caused delay between in-person visits was 5.6 ± 1.1 months for ICDs and 4.7 ± 1.2 months for PMs; in 24% of ICDs the time interval between in-person visits was ≥18 months. Clinically relevant events were 56 (18 [4.4%] in ICDs, 38 [2.1%] in PMs), with no deaths and 21 serious malfunctions (4 [1%] in ICDs, 15 [0.8%] in PMs). RM identified all ICD malfunctions, while it was not available in the affected PMs. In comparison with the year 2019, serious malfunctions increased, though the difference was not significant. Monthly RM transmissions increased by 2.3 fold.

CONCLUSIONS

In our single-center experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous in-person PM/ICD follow-up visits were postponed, and delays were well beyond the previously recommended time limits. However, device-related malfunctions did not increase, notably, when RM capabilities were used.