Recovery of cardiovascular testing in Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from the INCAPS COVID 2 study
Issued Date
2025-02-27
Resource Type
ISSN
2398595X
eISSN
20533624
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-86000590683
Journal Title
Open Heart
Volume
12
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Open Heart Vol.12 No.1 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Dai K.Z., Bremner L., Cohen Y., Karthikeyan G., Pascual T.N.B., Lu B., Albadr A., Bom H.S.H., Dautov T., Fatima S., Haidar M., Iguchi N., Kang F.Y.J., Khiewvan B., Nanayakkara D., Nguyen P.M.H., Patel C., Rozikhodjaeva G., Better N., Cerci R.J., Dorbala S., Shaw L.J., Villines T.C., Vitola J.V., Williams M.C., Choi A.D., Malkovskiy E., Randazzo M., Gianmarile F., Pynda Y., Dondi M., Paez D., Einstein A.J. Recovery of cardiovascular testing in Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from the INCAPS COVID 2 study. Open Heart Vol.12 No.1 (2025). doi:10.1136/openhrt-2024-002935 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/106790
Title
Recovery of cardiovascular testing in Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from the INCAPS COVID 2 study
Author(s)
Dai K.Z.
Bremner L.
Cohen Y.
Karthikeyan G.
Pascual T.N.B.
Lu B.
Albadr A.
Bom H.S.H.
Dautov T.
Fatima S.
Haidar M.
Iguchi N.
Kang F.Y.J.
Khiewvan B.
Nanayakkara D.
Nguyen P.M.H.
Patel C.
Rozikhodjaeva G.
Better N.
Cerci R.J.
Dorbala S.
Shaw L.J.
Villines T.C.
Vitola J.V.
Williams M.C.
Choi A.D.
Malkovskiy E.
Randazzo M.
Gianmarile F.
Pynda Y.
Dondi M.
Paez D.
Einstein A.J.
Bremner L.
Cohen Y.
Karthikeyan G.
Pascual T.N.B.
Lu B.
Albadr A.
Bom H.S.H.
Dautov T.
Fatima S.
Haidar M.
Iguchi N.
Kang F.Y.J.
Khiewvan B.
Nanayakkara D.
Nguyen P.M.H.
Patel C.
Rozikhodjaeva G.
Better N.
Cerci R.J.
Dorbala S.
Shaw L.J.
Villines T.C.
Vitola J.V.
Williams M.C.
Choi A.D.
Malkovskiy E.
Randazzo M.
Gianmarile F.
Pynda Y.
Dondi M.
Paez D.
Einstein A.J.
Author's Affiliation
Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital
Sakakibara Heart Institute
Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya
Philippine Nuclear Research Institute
Cho Ray Hospital
American University of Beirut
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
Milken Institute School of Public Health
Columbia University
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
The University of Edinburgh
Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Virginia
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna
Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
The University of Chicago Medicine
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
Cabrini Health
National Heart Centre Singapore
Harvard Medical School
The Mount Sinai Medical Center
Central Clinical Hospital No. 1 of the Main Medical Directorate
Research and Innovation Center
Al-Amal National Hospital
National Research Cardiac Surgery Center
Quanta Diagnóstico por Imagem
Children's Hospital
Sakakibara Heart Institute
Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya
Philippine Nuclear Research Institute
Cho Ray Hospital
American University of Beirut
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
Milken Institute School of Public Health
Columbia University
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
The University of Edinburgh
Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Virginia
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna
Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
The University of Chicago Medicine
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
Cabrini Health
National Heart Centre Singapore
Harvard Medical School
The Mount Sinai Medical Center
Central Clinical Hospital No. 1 of the Main Medical Directorate
Research and Innovation Center
Al-Amal National Hospital
National Research Cardiac Surgery Center
Quanta Diagnóstico por Imagem
Children's Hospital
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background Understanding pandemic-related reductions and subsequent recovery of cardiovascular testing in Asia is important for guiding regional public health efforts. Objectives This study sought to evaluate the recovery of cardiovascular testing in Asia 1 year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In this subanalysis of a worldwide survey on the impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular diagnostic care in April 2020 and April 2021, recovery of testing volume in Asia was compared among subregions, World Bank income groups and imaging modalities. Results Of 669 sites worldwide, 164 sites were in 33 Asian countries. Cardiovascular testing volumes in Asia decreased by 53% from March 2019 to April 2020, then recovered 96% of this decrease by April 2021, compared with 98% recovery in the rest of the world. Eastern Asia and Western and Central Asia reported recovery rates of 123% and 110%, compared with 50% and 80% recovery in Southern and South-eastern Asia. Testing volumes among high-income and upper-middle-income Asian countries recovered to 117% and 121% but remained depressed at 49% and 14% recovery in lower-middle and low-income countries, respectively. Stress ECG, stress echo and stress positron emission tomography studies experienced median reductions of 48%, 35% and 57% in testing volume between March 2019 and April 2021, while volumes of coronary artery calcium, coronary CT angiography and cardiac MR remained stable during this period. Conclusions The recovery of cardiovascular testing in Asia 1 year into the COVID-19 pandemic lagged in the Southern and South-eastern subregions, as well as in lower-income countries. Recovery favoured advanced cardiac imaging modalities over standard stress testing modalities.