ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Management and association with prognosis during the COVID-19 pandemic in France

•The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) outbreak affected medical systems worldwide.•Admissions for STEMI decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic.•Delays to PCI, particularly symptom onset to first medical contact, increased.•Hospital deaths and mechanical complications increased.•Patients need to be informed of the importance of seeking medical help. Systems of care have been challenged to control progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether this has been associated with delayed reperfusion and worse outcomes in French patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is unknown. To compare the rate of STEMI admissions, treatment delays, and outcomes between the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in France and the equivalent period in 2019. In this nationwide French survey, data from consecutive STEMI patients from 65 centres referred for urgent revascularization between 1 March and 31 May 2020, and between 1 March and 31 May 2019, were analysed. The primary outcome was a composite of in-hospital death or non-fatal mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction. A total of 6306 patients were included. During the pandemic peak, a 13.9±6.6% (P=0.003) decrease in STEMI admissions per week was observed. Delays between symptom onset and percutaneous coronary intervention were longer in 2020 versus 2019 (270 [interquartile range 150−705] vs 245 [140−646]min; P=0.013), driven by the increase in time from symptom onset to first medical contact (121 [60−360] vs 150 [62−420]min; P=0.002). During 2020, a greater number of mechanical complications was observed (0.9% vs 1.7%; P=0.029) leading to a significant difference in the primary outcome (112 patients [5.6%] in 2019 vs 129 [7.6%] in 2020; P=0.018). No significant difference was observed in rates of orotracheal intubation, in-hospital cardiac arrest, ventricular arrhythmias and cardiogenic shock. During the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in France, there was a decrease in STEMI admissions, associated with longer ischaemic time, exclusively driven by an increase in patient-related delays and an increase in mechanical complications. These findings suggest the need to encourage the population to seek medical help in case of symptoms. Les systèmes de santé à travers le monde ont été fortement mis à l’épreuve afin de contrôler la progression de l’épidémie de la COVID-19. L’éventualité que la réorganisation des soins ait pu influencer les délais de rereperfusion ou le devenir des patients pr