Key result
During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitalization in larger cardiology departments was associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality for acute heart failure compared to smaller departments (10.7% vs. 3.2%).
Why the study?
The COVID-19 pandemic led to direct deaths and collateral damage, but its influence on admissions and in-hospital mortality across larger versus smaller cardiology departments was unclear.
Does hospitalization in larger versus smaller cardiology departments affect in-hospital mortality and length of stay for acute heart failure during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Cohort (n=101,433)
Yes
Does hospitalization in larger versus smaller cardiology departments affect in-hospital mortality and length of stay for acute heart failure during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Absolute Event Rate: 10.7% vs 3.2%
p-value: p=<0.0001
During the COVID-19 pandemic, larger cardiology departments experienced significantly higher in-hospital mortality and longer hospital stays for acute heart failure compared to smaller departments, though mortality for concomitant AHF and COVID-19 was extremely high regardless of department size.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Should not yet change AHF triage by center size; leaves open case-mix versus strain as drivers of mortality differences.
Ostrowska et al. (2022) conducted a cohort in Acute Heart Failure (n=101,433). Hospitalization in a larger cardiology department (≥2000 hospitalizations/year) vs. Hospitalization in a smaller cardiology department (<2000 hospitalizations/year) was evaluated on In-hospital mortality for acute heart failure during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) (p=<0.0001). During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitalization in larger cardiology departments was associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality for acute heart failure compared to smaller departments (10.7% vs. 3.2%).
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