Mortality analysis of patients with acute coronary syndrome receiving comprehensive cardiac care (KOS-Zawał) during the COVID-19 pandemic period

Abstract

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there have been fundamental changes to the delivery and operation of healthcare facilities across the world, these changes have significantly impacted how patients with a variety of diseases are treated. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient management outcomes among patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and exploring the differences in patients who were treated within and outside the coordinated care programme for patients after ACS (KOS-Zawał).We analysed 472,996 medical records of patients after ACS from 2017 to 2022. The study examined information on deaths in two groups of patients; those included and those not included in the KOS-Zawal.Before COVID-19 pandemic higher mortality rate was shown in the group of patients not covered by the KOS-Zawal benefit compared with patients covered by the benefit (25.5% vs. 15.8%; p<0.0001) decreased significantly. During the COVID-19 a significant higher incidence of death was shown in the group of patients not covered by the KOS-Zawal compared with patients covered by the program (18% vs. 7.9%; p<0.0001). Compared to the time before and during COVID-19, the number of deaths among patients not covered (25.5% vs. 18%; p<0.0001) and covered by the KOS-Zawal (15.8% vs. 7.9%, p<0.0001) decreased significantlyPatients not covered by KOS-Zawal had a significantly higher mortality rate compared to those receiving the program during the pandemic. The pandemic significantly affected patients under KOS-Zawal care, with a reduced mortality.