Li, J;
Mazzone, P;
Leung, LWM;
Lin, W;
D'Angelo, G;
Ma, J;
Li, J;
Akhtar, Z;
Li, Y;
Della Bella, P;
et al.
Li, J; Mazzone, P; Leung, LWM; Lin, W; D'Angelo, G; Ma, J; Li, J; Akhtar, Z; Li, Y; Della Bella, P; Lin, J; Gallagher, MM
(2020)
Electrophysiology in the time of coronavirus: coping with the great wave.
Europace, 22 (12).
pp. 1841-1847.
ISSN 1532-2092
https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaa185
SGUL Authors: Gallagher, Mark Michael
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Abstract
AIMS : To chart the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity of interventional electrophysiology services in affected regions. METHODS AND RESULTS : We reviewed the electrophysiology laboratory records in three affected cities: Wenzhou in China, Milan in Italy, and London in the UK. We inspected catheter lab records and interviewed electrophysiologists in each centre to gather information on the impact of the pandemic on working patterns and on the health of staff members and patients. There was a striking decline in interventional electrophysiology activity in each of the centres. The decline occurred within a week of the recognition of widespread community transmission of the virus in each region and shows a striking correlation with the national figures for new diagnoses of COVID-19 in each case. During the period of restriction, workflow dropped to <5% of normal, consisting of emergency cases only. In two of three centres, electrophysiologists were redeployed to perform emergency work outside electrophysiology. Among the centres studied, only Wenzhou has seen a recovery from the restrictions in activity. Following an intense nationwide programme of public health interventions, local transmission of COVID-19 ceased to be detectable after 18 February allowing the electrophysiology service to resume with a strict testing regime for all patients. CONCLUSION : Interventional electrophysiology is vulnerable to closure in times of great social difficulty including the COVID-19 pandemic. Intense public health intervention can permit suppression of local disease transmission allowing resumption of some normal activity with stringent precautions.
Item Type: |
Article
|
Additional Information: |
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in EP Europace following peer review. The version of record Jia Li, Patrizio Mazzone, Lisa W M Leung, Weiqian Lin, Giuseppe D’Angelo, Jun Ma, Jin Li, Zaki Akhtar, Yuechun Li, Paolo Della Bella, Jiafeng Lin, Mark M Gallagher, Electrophysiology in the time of coronavirus: coping with the great wave, EP Europace, Volume 22, Issue 12, December 2020, Pages 1841–1847 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaa185 |
Keywords: |
Ablation, Arrhythmia, COVID-19, Catheter ablation, Electrophysiology, Pandemic, Cardiovascular System & Hematology, 1103 Clinical Sciences |
SGUL Research Institute / Research Centre: |
Academic Structure > Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute (MCS) |
Journal or Publication Title: |
Europace |
ISSN: |
1532-2092 |
Language: |
eng |
Dates: |
Date | Event |
---|
December 2020 | Published | 30 September 2020 | Published Online | 4 June 2020 | Accepted |
|
Publisher License: |
Publisher's own licence |
Projects: |
Project ID | Funder | Funder ID |
---|
Y20190165 | Wenzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau Program | UNSPECIFIED |
|
PubMed ID: |
32995866 |
![](http://static.pubmed.gov/portal/portal3rc.fcgi/2745237/img/27842) |
Go to PubMed abstract |
URI: |
https://openaccess.sgul.ac.uk/id/eprint/112464 |
Publisher's version: |
https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaa185 |
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