*2.4. Statistical Analysis*

Data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. Statistical analyses included Student's t-test (to determine the significance of the difference between the means of two data sets, sample size n-1 gives degrees of freedom to estimate variability), χ<sup>2</sup> test (to verify any significant difference between the expected frequencies and the observed frequencies in one or more categories of a contingency table), and linear regression (to evaluate whether there is a relationship between the variables of interest). A comparison between the three groups for total score and items was tested by using ANOVA analysis and a Scheffe's post hoc test.

A *p*-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Analyses were performed using Statview statistical software version 5.0.1 procedures (Abacus Concepts, Berkeley, CA, USA).

### **3. Results**

#### *3.1. Total FCV-19S Score*

The COVID fear questionnaire was administered to a total of 69 STEMI patients admitted at the period of the beginning of November 2020–end of May 2021 in the coronary care unit (CCU) of the Ospedale del Cuore G. Pasquinucci—Clinical Cardiology Department (Massa, Italy).

No significant differences were observed in the total score values according to gender (Table 1). On the other hand, there was a significant correlation between age and total FCV-19S score (r = 0.2, *p* ≤0.05) in the overall STEMI population. When the STEMI population was divided by the 25th percentile of age corresponding to 57 years (*n* = 52 older *versus n* = 17 younger patients), the total FCV-19S score resulted in 19 ± 7 and 16 ± 5 in older and younger patients, respectively (*p* = 0.08).



The total FCV-19S score did not significantly differ between the two groups of CV patients taken in the different periods and in STEMI Patients (Table 2).

**Table 2.** Mean (± standard deviation) of the 7 items of the Italian Fear of COVID-19 score in CV outpatients during the first epidemic wave and the period of November 2020–May 2021.


\* *p* < 0.1, \*\* *p* < 0.05 vs. first wave CV outpatients.
