COVID-19 pandemic and elderly: is the curtain dropped for urgent pacemaker implantations?

BACKGROUND Permanent cardiac pacing is the therapy of choice for treating severe and/or symptomatic bradyarrhythmia. During the COVID-19 outbreak, it has been reported a decrease in the incidence of acute coronary syndrome, but few data are available about pacemaker implantation rates. This study aimed to analyse patients referred to our centre with permanent cardiac pacing indication during the COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS We compared the number, the characteristics and the outcomes of patients who underwent urgent pacemaker implantation between March and April 2019 (Group I) with those performed in the corresponding 2020 period (Group II). RESULTS A total of 27 patients (Group I) were implanted in March-April 2019 and 34 patients (Group II) in the corresponding 2020 period. In both groups, about half of the patients received a dual-chamber pacemaker. No significant differences in baseline patients' characteristics were observed. The most frequent indication was advanced atrio-ventricular block with a prevalence of 78% and 62% in Group I and II, respectively. The rate of procedural complications, the in-hospital and 1-month mortality were also similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS In our regional referral center, we observed a routine activity in terms of urgent pacemaker implantations for the treatment of symptomatic bradyarrhythmia during the COVID-19 outbreak.