Journal of Clinical Medicine (Aug 2021)
Reshaping of Italian Echocardiographic Laboratories Activities during the Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic and Expectations for the Post-Pandemic Era
- Quirino Ciampi,
- Francesco Antonini-Canterin,
- Andrea Barbieri,
- Agata Barchitta,
- Frank Benedetto,
- Alberto Cresti,
- Sofia Miceli,
- Ines Monte,
- Licia Petrella,
- Giuseppe Trocino,
- Iolanda Aquila,
- Giovanni Barbati,
- Valentina Barletta,
- Daniele Barone,
- Monica Beraldi,
- Gianluigi Bergandi,
- Giuseppe Bilardo,
- Giuseppe Boriani,
- Eduardo Bossone,
- Amedeo Bongarzoni,
- Francesca Elisa Bovolato,
- Francesca Bursi,
- Valeria Cammalleri,
- Marco Carbonella,
- Grazia Casavecchia,
- Sebastiano Cicco,
- Giovanni Cioffi,
- Rosangela Cocchia,
- Paolo Colonna,
- Lauro Cortigiani,
- Umberto Cucchini,
- Maria Grazia D'Alfonso,
- Antonello D’Andrea,
- Luca Dell'Angela,
- Ilaria Dentamaro,
- Marcella De Paolis,
- Paola De Stefanis,
- Wanda Deste,
- Maria Di Fulvio,
- Giovanna Di Giannuario,
- Daniela Di Lisi,
- Concetta Di Nora,
- Iacopo Fabiani,
- Roberta Esposito,
- Fabio Fazzari,
- Luigi Ferrara,
- Gemma Filice,
- Davide Forno,
- Mauro Giorgi,
- Enrico Giustiniano,
- Cosimo Angelo Greco,
- Gian Luca Iannuzzi,
- Annibale Izzo,
- Alberto Maria Lanzone,
- Alessandro Malagoli,
- Francesca Mantovani,
- Vincenzo Manuppelli,
- Simona Mega,
- Elisa Merli,
- Margherita Ministeri,
- Doralisa Morrone,
- Cosimo Napoletano,
- Luigi Nunziata,
- Guido Pastorini,
- Chiara Pedone,
- Enrica Petruccelli,
- Maria Vincenza Polito,
- Vincenzo Polizzi,
- Costantina Prota,
- Fausto Rigo,
- Dante Eduardo Rivaben,
- Silvio Saponara,
- Angela Sciacqua,
- Chiara Sartori,
- Virginia Scarabeo,
- Walter Serra,
- Sergio Severino,
- Luciano Spinelli,
- Gloria Tamborini,
- Antonio Tota,
- Bruno Villari,
- Scipione Carerj,
- Eugenio Picano,
- Mauro Pepi,
- SIECoVId Study Group, on Behalf of the Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging (SIECVI)
Affiliations
- Quirino Ciampi
- Division of Cardiology, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Viale Principe di Napoli, 12 I-82100 Benevento, Italy
- Francesco Antonini-Canterin
- Rehabilitative Cardiology, Rehabilitative Hospital High Speciality, 31045 Motta di Livenza, Italy
- Andrea Barbieri
- Cardiology Division, University Hospital Modena-Policlinico, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Agata Barchitta
- Emergency Medicine Division, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Frank Benedetto
- Cardiology Division, Metropolitano Hospital “Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli”, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy
- Alberto Cresti
- Cardiology Division, Misericordia Hospital, 58100 Grosseto, Italy
- Sofia Miceli
- Geriatric Division, University Hospital Mater Domini, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
- Ines Monte
- Cardiology Division, University Hospital Policlinic, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
- Licia Petrella
- Cardiology Division, Civil Hospital G Mazzini, 64100 Teramo, Italy
- Giuseppe Trocino
- Cardiology Division, St Gerardo Hospital, 20900 Monza, Italy
- Iolanda Aquila
- Cardiology Division, University Hospital Mater Domini, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
- Giovanni Barbati
- Cardiology Division, San Bortolo Hospital, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
- Valentina Barletta
- Cardiology 2 Division, Cardiac Vascular Thoracic Department, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Daniele Barone
- Cardiology Division, S. Andrea Hospital, 19121 La Spezia, Italy
- Monica Beraldi
- Cardiology Division, ASST Mantova, 46100 Mantova, Italy
- Gianluigi Bergandi
- Cardiology Division, Civil Hospital, 10015 Ivrea, Italy
- Giuseppe Bilardo
- Cardiology Division, Civil Hospital, 32032 Feltre, Italy
- Giuseppe Boriani
- Cardiology Division, University Hospital Modena-Policlinico, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Eduardo Bossone
- Cardiology Division, Cardarelli Hospital, 80131 Napoli, Italy
- Amedeo Bongarzoni
- Cardiology Division, San Paolo Hospital, ASST San Carlo, San Carlo Unit, 20123 Milano, Italy
- Francesca Elisa Bovolato
- Cardiology Division, Ospedali Riuniti Padova Sud—ULSS Euganea, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Francesca Bursi
- Cardiology Division, San Paolo Hospital, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, San Paolo Unit, University Center, 20142 Milano, Italy
- Valeria Cammalleri
- Cardiology Division, University Hospital Policlinico Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Marco Carbonella
- Cardiology Division, SS Maria Addolorata Hospital, 84025 Eboli, Italy
- Grazia Casavecchia
- Cardiology Division, Riuniti Hospital, 71122 Foggia, Italy
- Sebastiano Cicco
- Internal Medicine Division, Policlinic Hospital, 70124 Bari, Italy
- Giovanni Cioffi
- Cardiology Division, San Pancrazio Arco di Trento Hospital, 38062 Arco di Trento, Italy
- Rosangela Cocchia
- Cardiology Division, Cardarelli Hospital, 80131 Napoli, Italy
- Paolo Colonna
- Cardiology Division, Policlinic Hospital, 70124 Bari, Italy
- Lauro Cortigiani
- Cardiology Division, San Luca Hospital, 55100 Lucca, Italy
- Umberto Cucchini
- Cardiology Division, San Bassiano Hospital, 36061 Bassano Del Grappa, Italy
- Maria Grazia D'Alfonso
- Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Diagnostic Division, Careggi Hospital, 50139 Firenze, Italy
- Antonello D’Andrea
- Cardiology Division, Umberto I Hospital, 84014 Nocera Inferiore, Italy
- Luca Dell'Angela
- Cardiology Division, Gorizia-Monfalcone Hospital, 34170 Gorizia, Italy
- Ilaria Dentamaro
- Cardiology Division, Miulli Hospital, 70021 Acquaviva delle Fonti, Italy
- Marcella De Paolis
- Cardiology Division, Santa Maria Hospital, 05100 Terni, Italy
- Paola De Stefanis
- Cardiology Division, San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
- Wanda Deste
- Cardiology Division, University Hospital Policlinic, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
- Maria Di Fulvio
- Cardiology Division, Clinicizzato Hospital, 66100 Chieti, Italy
- Giovanna Di Giannuario
- Cardiology Division, Infermi Hospital, 47923 Rimini, Italy
- Daniela Di Lisi
- Cardiology Division, Policlinico Hospital, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Concetta Di Nora
- Cardiology Division, University Hospital, 33100 Udine, Italy
- Iacopo Fabiani
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Fondazione Gabriele Monasterio, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Roberta Esposito
- Internal Medicine Division, Federico II University Hospital, 80138 Napoli, Italy
- Fabio Fazzari
- Echocardiography Division, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Italy
- Luigi Ferrara
- Cardiology Division, Villa Dei Fiori Clinic, 80011 Acerra, Italy
- Gemma Filice
- Cardiology Division, Annunziata Hospital, 87100 Cosenza, Italy
- Davide Forno
- Cardiology Division, Maria Vittoria Hospital, 10144 Torino, Italy
- Mauro Giorgi
- Cardiology Division, Città della Scienza e della Salute Hospital, 10126 Torino, Italy
- Enrico Giustiniano
- Department of Anesthesiology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Italy
- Cosimo Angelo Greco
- Cardiac Surgery Division, Vito Fazzi Hospital, 73100 Lecce, Italy
- Gian Luca Iannuzzi
- Cardiology Division, Maugeri Clinic, 82037 Telese, Italy
- Annibale Izzo
- Cardiology Division, Sant’Anna e San Sebastiano Hospital, 81100 Caserta, Italy
- Alberto Maria Lanzone
- Cardiology Division, Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital, 24125 Bergamo, Italy
- Alessandro Malagoli
- Cardiology Division, S. Agostino Estense Hospital, 41126 Baggiovara, Italy
- Francesca Mantovani
- Cardiology Division, Azienda USL—IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Vincenzo Manuppelli
- Cardiology Division, University Hospital Ospedali Riuniti di Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
- Simona Mega
- Cardiology Division, Campus Biomedico University Hospital, 00128 Roma, Italy
- Elisa Merli
- Cardiology Division, Degli Infermi Hospital, 48018 Faenza, Italy
- Margherita Ministeri
- Cardiology Division, Centro Cuore Morgagni, 95030 Pedara, Italy
- Doralisa Morrone
- Cardiology Division, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Cosimo Napoletano
- Cardiology Division, Civil Hospital G Mazzini, 64100 Teramo, Italy
- Luigi Nunziata
- Cardiology Division, Santa Maria della Pietà Hospital, 80035 Nola, Italy
- Guido Pastorini
- Cardiology Division, Regina Montis Regalis Hospital, 12084 Mondovì, Italy
- Chiara Pedone
- Cardiology Division, Maggiore Hospital, 40133 Bologna, Italy
- Enrica Petruccelli
- Cardiology Division, S. Giacomo Hospital, 70043 Monopoli, Italy
- Maria Vincenza Polito
- Cardiology Division, Evangelic Hospital Betania, 80147 Napoli, Italy
- Vincenzo Polizzi
- Cardiology Division, San Camillo-Fornalinini Hospital, 00152 Roma, Italy
- Costantina Prota
- Cardiology Division, San Luca Hospital, 84078 Vallo della Lucania, Italy
- Fausto Rigo
- Cardiology Division, Civil Hospital Dolo, 30031 Dolo, Italy
- Dante Eduardo Rivaben
- Rehabilitative Cardiology, Rehabilitative Hospital High Speciality, 31045 Motta di Livenza, Italy
- Silvio Saponara
- Cardiology Division, Luigi Curto Hospital, 84035 Polla, Italy
- Angela Sciacqua
- Geriatric Division, University Hospital Mater Domini, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
- Chiara Sartori
- Cardiology Division, Santi Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo Hospital, 15121 Alessandria, Italy
- Virginia Scarabeo
- Cardiology Division, Camposampiero Hospital, 35012 Camposampiero, Italy
- Walter Serra
- Cardiology Division, University Hospital Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
- Sergio Severino
- Cardiology Division, Cotugno Hospital, 80128 Naples, Italy
- Luciano Spinelli
- Rehabilitative Cardiology, S. Rita Clinic, 88811 Cirò Marina, Italy
- Gloria Tamborini
- Cardiology Division, Centro Cardiologico Monzino, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), 20138 Milano, Italy
- Antonio Tota
- Cardiology Division, Policlinic Hospital, 70124 Bari, Italy
- Bruno Villari
- Division of Cardiology, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Viale Principe di Napoli, 12 I-82100 Benevento, Italy
- Scipione Carerj
- Department of Clinic and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
- Eugenio Picano
- Biomedicine Department, National Research Council Institute of Clinical Physiology (CNR-IFC), 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Mauro Pepi
- Cardiology Division, Centro Cardiologico Monzino, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), 20138 Milano, Italy
- SIECoVId Study Group, on Behalf of the Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging (SIECVI)
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10163466
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 10,
no. 16
p. 3466
Abstract
Background: Cardiology divisions reshaped their activities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to analyze the organization of echocardiographic laboratories and echocardiography practice during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, and the expectations for the post-COVID era. Methods: We analyzed two different time periods: the month of November during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) and the identical month during 2019 (November 2019). Results: During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital activity was partially reduced in 42 (60%) and wholly interrupted in 3 (4%) echocardiographic laboratories, whereas outpatient echocardiographic activity was partially reduced in 41 (59%) and completely interrupted in 7 (10%) laboratories. We observed an important change in the organization of activities in the echocardiography laboratory which reduced the operator-risk and improved self-protection of operators by using appropriate personal protection equipment. Operators wore FFP2 in 58 centers (83%) during trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE), in 65 centers (93%) during transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and 63 centers (90%) during stress echocardiography. The second wave caused a significant reduction in number of echocardiographic exams, compared to November 2019 (from 513 ± 539 to 341 ± 299 exams per center, −34%, p p p < 0.001). We observed a large diffusion of point-of-care cardiac ultrasound (88%), with a significant increase of lung ultrasound usage in 30 centers (43%) during 2019, extended to all centers in 2020. Carbon dioxide production by examination is an indicator of the environmental impact of technology (100-fold less with echocardiography compared to other cardiac imaging techniques). It was ignored in 2019 by 100% of centers, and currently it is considered potentially crucial for decision-making in cardiac imaging by 65 centers (93%). Conclusions: In one year, major changes occurred in echocardiography practice and culture. The examination structure changed with extensive usage of point-of-care cardiac ultrasound and with lung ultrasound embedded by default in the TTE examination, as well as the COVID-19 testing.
Keywords