Reduction of cardiac imaging tests during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Italy. Findings from the IAEA Non-invasive Cardiology Protocol Survey on COVID-19 (INCAPS COVID)

• Published in: International journal of cardiology 2021-10, Vol.341, p.100-106
• Main Authors: Dondi, Maurizio, Milan, Elisa, Pontone, Gianluca, Hirschfeld, Cole B., Williams, Michelle, Shaw, Leslee J., Pynda, Yaroslav, Raggi, Paolo, Cerci, Rodrigo, Vitola, Joao, Better, Nathan, Villines, Todd C., Dorbala, Sharmila, Pascual, Thomas N.B., Giubbini, Raffaele, Einstein, Andrew J., Paez, Diana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cardiac imaging; Cardiology; Cardiovascular disease; COVID-19; Humans; Italy - epidemiology; Pandemics; SARS-CoV-2; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2021.08.044

In early 2020, COVID-19 massively hit Italy, earlier and harder than any other European country. This caused a series of strict containment measures, aimed at blocking the spread of the pandemic. Healthcare delivery was also affected when resources were diverted towards care of COVID-19 patients, including intensive care wards. The aim is assessing the impact of COVID-19 on cardiac imaging in Italy, compare to the Rest of Europe (RoE) and the World (RoW). A global survey was conducted in May–June 2020 worldwide, through a questionnaire distributed online. The survey covered three periods: March and April 2020, and March 2019. Data from 52 Italian centres, a subset of the 909 participating centres from 108 countries, were analyzed. In Italy, volumes decreased by 67% in March 2020, compared to March 2019, as opposed to a significantly lower decrease (p