Characteristics of overall population are also described according to stress SPECT-MPI results during COVID-19 pandemic and during the corresponding months of 2017–2019 (Table 2). In both study periods, the percentage of patients with hyperlipidemia and known CAD was higher in patients with abnormal compared with those with normal stress SPECT-MPI findings, while during 2017–2019, patients with abnormal SPECT-MPI were older (P < 0.05) and had higher prevalence of diabetes (P < 0.005) and hypertension (P < 0.001).
Table 2 Clinical characteristics of overall population according to MPI results during COVID-19 emergency and during 2017–2019 3-year’s corresponding months
2020 2017–2019
Normal (n = 79) Abnormal (n = 44) P value Normal (n = 820) Abnormal (n = 418) P value
Age (years) 64 ± 11 64 ± 8 0.77 63 ± 11 65 ± 11 < .05
Male gender, n (%) 23 (38) 6 (43) 0.05 337 (41) 73 (17) < .001
Body mass index (kg/m2) 28.9 ± 4.9 28.1 ± 4.4 0.38 29.1 ± 6.1 27.9 ± 4.2 < .001
Chest pain, n (%) 22 (38) 15 (43) 0.47 308 (38) 123 (29) < .005
Diabetes, n (%) 28 (19) 19 (36) 0.40 234 (29) 156 (37) < .005
Dyspnea, n (%) 29 (22) 20 (25) 0.34 375 (46) 200 (48) 0.48
Family history, n (%) 36 (48) 24 (41) 0.34 446 (54) 223 (53) 0.73
Hypertension, n (%) 66 (62) 36 (76) 0.81 614 (75) 354 (85) < .001
Hyperlipidemia, n (%) 54 (55) 38 (57) < .05 540 (66) 317 (76) < .001
Smoking, n (%) 15 (55) 11 (57) 0.43 258 (31) 132 (32) 0.97
Known CAD n (%) 21 (55) 31 (57) < .001 224 (27) 317 (76) < .001
Values are expressed as mean value ± standard deviation or as number (percentage) of subjects. MPI myocardial perfusion imaging, CAD coronary artery disease