Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the volume, cost, and outcomes of cardiac electrophysiology procedures in the United States
Authors' conclusion
In the United States, the significant decline in EP procedures during the pandemic was primarily driven by the reduction in dual-chamber PPM utilization, followed by arrhythmia ablation and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. There was a substantial increase in leadless PPM utilization during the pandemic.
Study context
- Population
- All electrophysiology (EP) procedures performed in the US, 2016–2020
- Participants
- 1.35 million estimated EP procedures
- Exposure
- EP procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic vs pre-pandemic period
- Outcome
- Trends in utilization, cost/revenue and outcomes of EP procedures
Methodological detailsNational Inpatient Sample database
- National Inpatient Sample database
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- EP procedures (82% devices, 18% catheter ablations), 2016-2020, significant yearly uptrend
- 1.35 million
- Peak EP utilization, Q2 2019 (cases/million population)
- 298
- Nadir EP utilization, Q2 2020 (cases/million population)
- 220
- Projected EP procedures lost in 2020 (39,337 devices, 10,896 ablations)
- 50,233
- Revenue loss
- $7.06 billion
- Revenue deficit from dual-chamber permanent pacemaker (PPM) (49.3% of lost cases)
- $2.88 billion
- Revenue deficit from ablation (21.7% of lost cases)
- $1.84 billion
- Revenue deficit from ICD implantation (12.0% of lost cases)
- $1.36 billion
- Increase in leadless PPM utilization
- 9.4%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Safety
Adverse in-hospital events after EP device implantation
P < 0.001
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the volume, cost, and outcomes of cardiac electrophysiology procedures in the United States. Heart Rhythm. Published 28 February 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →