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Alawadhi A, Palin V, van Staa T. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rates and predictors of missed hospital appointments in multiple outpatient clinics of The Royal Hospital, Sultanate of Oman: a retrospective study. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:1438. [PMID: 38115022 PMCID: PMC10729569 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10395-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant changes in the delivery of health care services such as attendance of scheduled outpatient hospital appointments. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the rate and predictors of missed hospital appointment in the Sultanate of Oman. METHODS A retrospective single-centre analysis was conducted to determine the effect of COVID-19 on missed hospital appointments at various clinics at The Royal Hospital (tertiary referral hospital) in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. The study population included scheduled face-to-face and virtual appointments between January 2019 and March 2021. Logistic regression models were used with interaction terms (post COVID-19) to assess changes in the predictors of missed appointments. RESULTS A total of 34, 3149 scheduled appointments was analysed (320,049 face-to-face and 23,100 virtual). The rate of missed face-to-face hospital appointments increased from 16.9% pre to 23.8% post start of COVID-19, particularly in early pandemic (40.5%). Missed hospital appointments were more frequent (32.2%) in virtual clinics (post COVID-19). Increases in missed face-to-face appointments varied by clinic (Paediatrics from 19.3% pre to 28.2% post; Surgery from 12.5% to 25.5%; Obstetrics & Gynaecology from 8.4% to 8.5%). A surge in the frequency of missed appointments was seen during national lockdowns for face-to-face and virtual appointments. Most predictors of missed appointments did not demonstrate any appreciable changes in effect (i.e., interaction term not statistically significant). Distance of patient residence to the hospital revealed no discernible changes in the relative effect pre and post COVID-19 for both face-to-face and virtual clinic appointments. CONCLUSION The rate of missed visits in most clinics was directly impacted by COVID-19. The case mix of patients who missed their appointments did not change. Virtual appointments, introduced after start of the pandemic, also had substantial rates of missed appointments and cannot be viewed as the single approach that can overcome the problem of missing hospital appointments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Alawadhi
- Centre for Health Informatics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Victoria Palin
- Centre for Health Informatics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- Maternal and Fetal Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, The Univeristy of Manchester, St Marys Hospital, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK
| | - Tjeerd van Staa
- Centre for Health Informatics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
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2
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Jiang Y, Rudin RS, Solomon DH. Clinical Visit Frequencies in Rheumatology: A Systematic Literature Review. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2023; 75:2054-2062. [PMID: 36807719 PMCID: PMC10440366 DOI: 10.1002/acr.25106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Clinical visits are a fundamental aspect of rheumatic disease care, but recommendations for appropriate visit frequencies are largely absent from guidelines, scarcely studied, and inconsistently reported. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence pertaining to visit frequencies for major rheumatic diseases. METHODS This systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Title/abstract screening, full-text screening, and extraction were carried out by 2 independent authors. Annual visit frequencies were either extracted or calculated and stratified by disease type and country of study. Weighted mean annual visit frequencies were calculated. RESULTS A total of 273 relevant manuscript records were screened, and 28 were included after applying selection criteria. The included studies were equally divided between US and non-US and were published between 1985 and 2021. Most (n = 16) focused on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE; n = 5), and fibromyalgia (FM; n = 4). For RA, the average annual visit frequencies were 5.25 for US rheumatologists, 4.80 for US non-rheumatologists, 3.29 for non-US rheumatologists, and 2.74 for non-US non-rheumatologists. For SLE, annual visit frequencies for non-rheumatologists were much higher than for US rheumatologists (12.3 versus 3.24). For FM, annual visit frequencies were 1.80 for US rheumatologists and 0.40 for non-US rheumatologists. There was a decreasing trend of visit frequency to rheumatologists from 1982 to 2019. CONCLUSION Evidence for rheumatology clinical visits was limited and heterogeneous on a global scale. However, general trends suggest more frequent visits in the US and less frequent visits in recent years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daniel H Solomon
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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3
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Analysis of Changes in Antibiotic Use Patterns in Korean Hospitals during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020198. [PMID: 36830109 PMCID: PMC9952207 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
With the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, changes in patient care and antibiotic use have occurred in hospitals. The data of the National Health Insurance System's claims of inpatients from all hospitals in Korea between January 2019 and December 2020 were obtained from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service and analyzed. The trend in the use of all antibacterial agents in both hospitals declined for the total number of COVID-19 patients at the bottom 10% and those in the top 10%. Specifically, a decreasing trend in the use of broad-spectrum antibacterial agents predominantly prescribed for community-acquired cases and narrow-spectrum beta-lactam agents were observed in both hospitals. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the total use of antibacterial agents has gradually decreased among patients with pneumonia and those with severe COVID-19. In contrast, its use has increased gradually among those with mild to moderate COVID-19. A decreasing trend in overall antibiotic use was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and an increasing trend in antibiotic use was observed in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 in Korean hospitals.
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4
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Choi SA, Hwang J, Lim BC, Chae SA. Incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome in South Korea during the early COVID-19 pandemic. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1125455. [PMID: 36895908 PMCID: PMC9989167 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1125455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy, often triggered by infection. We aimed to investigate how the incidence of GBS changed in the early stages of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic when nationwide infections declined due to non-pharmaceutical interventions. Methods We conducted a nationwide population-based retrospective GBS cohort study using data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service of Korea. Patients with new-onset GBS were defined as those who were first hospitalized between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2020 with an International Classification of Disease, 10th Revision code, for GBS (G61.0) as a primary diagnosis. The incidence of GBS in the pre-pandemic years (2016-2019) was compared with that in the first pandemic year (2020). Nationwide epidemiological data for infections were collected from the national infectious disease surveillance system. A correlation analysis was performed to determine the incidence of GBS and nationwide trends of various infections. Results Overall, 3,637 new-onset GBS cases were identified. The age-standardized incidence of GBS in the first pandemic year was 1.10 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.19) per 100,000 persons. Compared to the first pandemic year, the incidence of GBS during the pre-pandemic years (1.33-1.68/100,000 persons/year) was significantly higher, with incidence rate ratios of 1.21-1.53 (P < 0.001). Nationwide cases of upper respiratory viral infections were significantly reduced in the first pandemic year; however, Campylobacter infections peaked in the summer of the pandemic. The nationwide epidemiology of parainfluenza virus, enterovirus, and Campylobacter infections correlated positively with GBS incidence. Conclusion The overall GBS incidence decreased in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be attributed to the dramatic reduction in viral illnesses due to public measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Ah Choi
- Department of Pediatrics, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Junho Hwang
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Chan Lim
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Ahn Chae
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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5
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Eun HR, Park JT, Jang JH. Factors Related to the Intention to Use Dental Care by Industrial Workers Due to COVID-19: Application of Anderson Model and Planned Behavior Theory. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12883. [PMID: 36232183 PMCID: PMC9564458 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected medical and dental care in Korea. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the intention to use dental care in industrial workers, an economically active population. An online questionnaire survey was completed by 301 industrial workers. Stress and anxiety to viral epidemics-6 (SAVE-6), attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control, and intention to use dental care, based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), were measured. Predisposing, enabling, and need factors based on the Andersen model were measured as control variables for influencing factors. In the final hierarchical multiple regression analysis, the most significant relevant factors affecting intention to use dental care were attitude (β = 0.598, p < 0.001), followed by experience of dental clinic visits (β = 0.237, p < 0.001), subjective norm (β = 0.125, p < 0.001), perceived behavior control (β = 0.114, p = 0.004), SAVE-6 (β = -0.073, p = 0.025), and gingival bleeding (β = 0.062, p = 0.029). Dental care use decreased to 58.5%, and socio-psychological factors based on TPB were closely associated with the intention to use dental care. Therefore, awareness must be raised regarding oral health practices to increase the use of dental care among industrial workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Ran Eun
- Department of Oral Health, Graduate School of Health and Welfare, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Korea
| | - Jong-Tae Park
- Department of Oral Anatomy, College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Korea
| | - Jong-Hwa Jang
- Department of Oral Health, Graduate School of Health and Welfare, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Korea
- Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Korea
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6
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Ayele TA, Alamneh TS, Shibru H, Sisay MM, Yilma TM, Melak MF, Bisetegn TA, Belachew T, Haile M, Zeru T, Asres MS, Shitu K. Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on missed medical appointment among adults with chronic disease conditions in Northwest Ethiopia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274190. [PMID: 36194566 PMCID: PMC9531804 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 had affected the health-care-seeking behavior of people with chronic medical conditions. The impact is even worse in resource-limited settings like Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the extent and correlates of missed appointments among adults with chronic disease conditions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS A retrospective chart review and cross-sectional survey were conducted from December 2020 to February 2021. A total of 1833 patients with common chronic disease were included by using a stratified systematic random sampling technique. Web-based data collection was done using Kobo collect. The data were explored using descriptive statistical techniques, the rate of missed appointments s before and during the COVID-19 pandemic was determined. A negative binomial regression model was fitted to identify the factors of missed appointment. An incidence rate ratio with its 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-value of the final model were reported. RESULTS The rate of missed appointments was 12.5% (95% CI: 11.13%, 14.20%) before the pandemic, increased to 26.8% (95% CI: 24.73%, 28.82%) during the pandemic (p-value < 0.001). Fear of COVID-19 infection and lack of transport was the most common reasons for missing appointments. Older patients (Adjusted Incidence Rate Ratio (AIRR) = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.001; 1.015), having treatment follow up more than 5 years (AIRR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.103; 1.69), shorter frequency of follow-up (AIRR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.63; 2.49), covering expense out of pocket (AIRR = 2.26, 95%CI: 1.41; 2.95), having a sedentary lifestyle (AIRR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.12; 1.71), and history of missed appointments before COVID-19 pandemic (AIRR = 4.27, 95%CI: 3.35; 5.43) were positively associated with the incidence of missed appointments. CONCLUSION The rate of missed appointment increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older age, longer duration of follow up, more frequent follow-up, out-of-pocket expenditure for health service, history of poor follow-up, and sedentary lifestyle had positive relationship with missed appointments during the pandemic. Therefore, it is important to give special emphasis to individuals with these risk factors while designing and implementing policies and strategies for peoples with chronic diseases to ensure the continuity of care and to avoid the long-term impact on their health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadesse Awoke Ayele
- Epidemiology & Biostatistics Department, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Tesfa Sewunet Alamneh
- Epidemiology & Biostatistics Department, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Habtewold Shibru
- Internal Medicine Department, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Malede Mequanent Sisay
- Epidemiology & Biostatistics Department, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Tesfahun Melese Yilma
- Health Informatics Department, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Melkitu Fentie Melak
- Nutrition Department, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Telake Azale Bisetegn
- Health Education & Behavioral Science Department, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | | | | | - Taye Zeru
- Amhara Public Health Institute, Bahir-Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Mezgebu Selamsew Asres
- Internal Medicine Department, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Kegnie Shitu
- Health Education & Behavioral Science Department, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
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7
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Intravenous treatment adherence of patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic: experience of a single center. ROMANIAN JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE 2022; 60:173-181. [DOI: 10.2478/rjim-2022-0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: Patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRD) who receive intravenous therapy requiring hospitalization are likely to be more affected than those with receiving oral therapy during COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on adherence to treatment in patients with CIRD receiving intravenous treatments.
Methods: We evaluated patients with CIRD who were treated with intravenous immunosuppressive therapy such as rituximab (RTX), cyclophosphamide (CTX), infliximab (IFX), tocilizumab (TCZ) and abatacept (ABA) in our inpatient rheumatology clinic. The patientsʼ medical treatment compliance and clinical follow-up were evaluated. Treatment discontinuation was decided according to postponement of at least one dose and discontinuation of CIRD treatments. Demographics and clinical characteristics were compared between treatment-incompliant (TI) and treatment-compliant (TC) groups.
Results: A total of 181 CIRD patients were enrolled. Rheumatoid arthritis was the most common disease requiring intravenous immunosuppressive treatment followed by axial spondyloarthritis and Behçet’s disease. Joint involvement was the most common followed by lung and kidney involvements. Rituximab was the most widely used intravenous immunosuppressive treatment for the CIRD. 34% patients have postponed at least one dose of their intravenous CIRD treatment and 25% discontinued. Fear of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 positivity were the most common reasons. The TI group had a longer disease duration and a higher frequency of inflammatory arthritis than the TC group (p=0.013 and p=0.044, respectively).
Conclusions: Fear of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 positivity seemed to be the major reasons for discontinuing/postponing intravenous treatments in CIRD patients. Patients with long disease duration and less systemic involvement may be more prone to discontinuing their treatments.
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8
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Sanaka H, Garg R, Patel V, McMichael J, Macaron C. Temporal trends and disparities in gastroenterology care use before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdown. J Investig Med 2022; 70:1704-1712. [PMID: 36038149 DOI: 10.1136/jim-2022-002398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Socioeconomic disparities adversely affected healthcare use during COVID-19 lockdown. However, trends in these disparities post lockdown are unknown. Therefore, our aim was to study temporal trends and factors associated with gastroenterology healthcare access and disparities during and after COVID-19 lockdown. This cohort study consisted of patients receiving outpatient care in the Cleveland Clinic gastroenterology department between March 2020 and June 2020 and corresponding time periods in 2019 and 2021. Patient demographics and socioeconomic factors were extracted and analyzed. There were 47,031 patients (mean age 56.3±17.6 years, 61.9% female and 76.4% white) included. Patients ≥65 years sought healthcare less frequently during and after the lockdown (40.1% vs 34.8% vs 35.2% in 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively). Missed visits (4.2% vs 10% vs 10.4%), tobacco (11.4% vs 15.9% vs 16.1%), alcohol (38.6% vs 45.5% vs 50.9%), and illicit drug use (3.5% vs 5.8% vs 10.7%) have steadily increased during and after the lockdown compared with prepandemic levels. Factors associated with reduced telehealth use were black race (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.99), Hispanic race (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.77)), Medicaid/other public insurance (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.95)), unemployed status (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.92)), and non-English/Spanish speakers (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.94)). In conclusion, socioeconomic and ethnic disparities persist in healthcare use even a year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an alarming increase in missed visits and substance abuse. Therefore, efforts should be targeted on improving healthcare access for these aforementioned vulnerable groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsha Sanaka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Rajat Garg
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Vidhi Patel
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - John McMichael
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of General Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Carole Macaron
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Rhee H, Jang GS, Kim S, Lee W, Jeon H, Kim DW, Ye BM, Kim HJ, Kim MJ, Kim SR, Kim IY, Song SH, Seong EY, Lee DW, Lee SB. Maintenance of the critical care system during the pandemic in non-COVID-19 patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy: a single center experience. BMC Emerg Med 2022; 22:138. [PMID: 35915412 PMCID: PMC9342846 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-022-00693-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, maintenance of essential healthcare systems became very challenging. We describe the triage system of our institute, and assess the quality of care provided to critically ill non-COVID-19 patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) during the pandemic. Methods We introduced an emergency triage pathway early in the pandemic. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who received CRRT in our hospital from January 2016 to March 2021. We excluded end-stage kidney disease patients on maintenance dialysis. Patients were stratified as medical and surgical patients. The time from hospital arrival to intensive care unit (ICU) admission, the time from hospital arrival to intervention/operation, and the in-hospital mortality rate were compared before (January 2016 to December 2019) and during (January 2021 to March 2021) the pandemic. Results The mean number of critically ill patients who received CRRT annually in the surgical department significantly decreased during the pandemic in (2016–2019: 76.5 ± 3.1; 2020: 56; p < 0.010). Age, sex, and the severity of disease at admission did not change, whereas the proportions of medical patients with diabetes (before: 44.4%; after: 56.5; p < 0.005) and cancer (before: 19.4%; after: 32.3%; p < 0.001) increased during the pandemic. The time from hospital arrival to ICU admission and the time from hospital arrival to intervention/operation did not change. During the pandemic, 59.6% of surgical patients received interventions/operations within 6 hours of hospital arrival. In Cox’s proportional hazard modeling, the hazard ratio associated with the pandemic was 1.002 (0.778–1.292) for medical patients and 1.178 (0.783–1.772) for surgical patients. Conclusion Our triage system maintained the care required by critically ill non-COVID-19 patients undergoing CRRT at our institution. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12873-022-00693-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harin Rhee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea. .,Divison of Nephrology, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, 305 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739, South Korea.
| | - Gum Sook Jang
- Department of Nursing, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungmi Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Divison of Nephrology, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, 305 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739, South Korea
| | - Wanhee Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Divison of Nephrology, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, 305 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739, South Korea
| | - Hakeong Jeon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Divison of Nephrology, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, 305 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739, South Korea
| | - Da Woon Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Divison of Nephrology, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, 305 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739, South Korea
| | - Byung-Min Ye
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo Jin Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Divison of Nephrology, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, 305 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739, South Korea
| | - Min Jeong Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo Rin Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Il Young Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Heon Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Divison of Nephrology, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, 305 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739, South Korea
| | - Eun Young Seong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Divison of Nephrology, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, 305 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739, South Korea
| | - Dong Won Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Bong Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
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10
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Oh S, Jeong MH, Cho KH, Kim MC, Sim DS, Hong YJ, Kim JH, Ahn Y. Treatment delay and outcomes of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention during the COVID-19 era in South Korea. Korean J Intern Med 2022; 37:786-799. [PMID: 35811367 PMCID: PMC9271717 DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2022.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Little is known about the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Korea during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era. We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with STEMI in the COVID-19 era. METHODS A total of 588 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention were included in this study. The patients were categorized into the COVID-19 (from January 20, 2020 to December 31, 2020) and control groups (from January 20, 2019 to December 31, 2019). RESULTS The COVID-19 group showed pre-hospital and in-hospital delays than the control group. The control group underwent more thrombus aspiration and had a higher proportion of left main coronary artery diseases, while the COVID-19 group had a higher proportion of multivessel diseases with a marked increase in the number and total length of stents than the control group. As for the prescribed medications, the COVID-19 group was administered more beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, and statins than the control group. The clinical outcomes were comparable between the groups, except for higher incidences of atrioventricular block and temporary pacemaker implantation in the COVID-19 group. CONCLUSION Reperfusion after STEMI treatment during the COVID-19 period was delayed; therefore, efforts should be made to improve on reperfusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok Oh
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju,
Korea
| | - Myung Ho Jeong
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju,
Korea
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju,
Korea
| | - Kyung Hoon Cho
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju,
Korea
| | - Min Chul Kim
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju,
Korea
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju,
Korea
| | - Doo Sun Sim
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju,
Korea
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju,
Korea
| | - Young Joon Hong
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju,
Korea
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju,
Korea
| | - Ju Han Kim
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju,
Korea
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju,
Korea
| | - Youngkeun Ahn
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju,
Korea
- Department of Cardiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju,
Korea
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11
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Rodríguez-Vargas GS, Nieto-Zambrano PD, Rubio-Rubio JA, Santos-Moreno P, Rojas-Villarraga A. Artritis reumatoide y telemedicina en tiempos de COVID-19. REPERTORIO DE MEDICINA Y CIRUGÍA 2022. [DOI: 10.31260/repertmedcir.01217372.1300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
La artritis reumatoide es una afección autoinmune, crónica y multisistémica que requiere manejo multidisciplinar, siendo la supervisión continua fundamental para controlar su progresión. Tanto la artritis como el tratamiento generan un estado inmunosupresor que predispone a sufrir infecciones. Por la actual emergencia sanitaria ocasionada por el Sars-Cov2, los pacientes con estas enfermedades crónicas e inmunológicas son más susceptibles de contagio, por ello se ha requerido el uso de nuevas tecnologías como la telemedicina, que en los años previos a la pandemia venía incrementándose su uso, para permitir el control de patologías crónicas. El objetivo del presente estudio es revisar qué implicaciones ha tenido el uso de la telemedicina en el manejo de la artritis reumatoide durante la actual pandemia COVID-19 y cuál ha sido la importancia de la implementación de estas tecnologías en la enfermedad.
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12
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Nagy E, Infantino M, Bizzaro N, Andreeva H, Bontkes HJ, Bossuyt X, Fabien N, Fischer K, Heijnen IAFM, Herold M, Kozmar A, Kuhi L, López-Hoyos M, Pullerits R, Sousa MJR, Tsirogianni A, Damoiseaux J. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autoimmune diagnostics in Europe: A lesson to be learned. Autoimmun Rev 2021; 20:102985. [PMID: 34718167 PMCID: PMC8552636 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2021.102985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The first wave of COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost all areas of the health care services to some extent throughout the world. Although the negative impact of COVID-19 on patients with autoimmune diseases has also been recognized, available data in this regard are limited. In the current study of the European Autoimmunity Standardisation Initiative (EASI) we aimed to provide reliable data on the extent of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on test requests for different autoantibodies in European countries. METHODS Data on test numbers and on the number of positive results were collected in 97 clinical laboratories from 15 European countries on a monthly basis for the year before (2019) and the year during (2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS A reduction in the number of autoantibody tests was observed in all European countries in the year 2020 compared to 2019. The reduction affected all autoantibody tests with an overall decrease of 13%, ranging from 1.4% (Switzerland) to 25.5% (Greece). In all countries, the decrease was most pronounced during the first wave of the pandemic (March-May 2020) with an overall decrease in those three months of 45.2%. The most affected autoantibodies were those commonly requested by general practitioners (anti-tTG IgA (-71%), RF IgM (-66%) and ACPA (-61%)). In the second wave of the pandemic (October-December 2020) the decrease was less pronounced (6.8%). With respect to the rate of positive results, subtle differences were observed for distinct autoantibodies during the pandemic, but the total rate of positive results was similar in both years. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated a strong decrease in autoantibody requests during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 15 European countries. The second wave was characterized by a less pronounced impact, with some participating countries hardly affected, while some other countries experienced a second decline. The decrease was clearly associated with the level of lock-down and with the required adjustments in the health care systems in different countries, supporting the importance of an effective strategy for the coordination of autoimmune testing in challenging situations as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Nagy
- National Institute of Locomotor diseases and Disabilities, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Maria Infantino
- Immunologia Allergologia, Dipartimento di Medicina di Laboratorio, Ospedale San Giovanni di Dio Azienda, Usl Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy
| | - Nicola Bizzaro
- Laboratorio di Patologia Clinica, Ospedale San Antonio (Tolmezzo), Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata, Udine, Italy
| | - Hristina Andreeva
- Division of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Hetty J Bontkes
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Medical Immunology Laboratory, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Xavier Bossuyt
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicole Fabien
- Department of Immunology, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Katarzyna Fischer
- Individual Laboratory for Rheumatologic Diagnostics, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Ingmar A F M Heijnen
- Medical Immunology, Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Manfred Herold
- Medical University of Innsbruck, Department of Internal Medicine II, Rheumatology Laboratory, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ana Kozmar
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Liisa Kuhi
- Central Laboratory, East Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Marcos López-Hoyos
- Servicio de Inmunología, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla-IDIVAL, Universidad Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Rille Pullerits
- The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Institution of Medicine, Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Gothenburg, Sweden; Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Alexandra Tsirogianni
- Immunology-Histocompatibility Department, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Greece
| | - Jan Damoiseaux
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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13
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Carbone T, Picerno V, Pafundi V, Esposito E, Leccese P, Padula AA, D'Angelo S. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Appropriateness of Diagnostic Pathways of Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases. J Rheumatol 2021; 49:219-224. [PMID: 34654735 DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.210611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Early diagnosis of autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) is key to achieving effective treatment and improving prognosis. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to major changes in clinical practice on a global scale. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rheumatological clinical practice and autoimmunity testing demands. METHODS Data regarding the first rheumatological visits and new diagnoses, together with the autoimmunity laboratory testing volumes related to the COVID-19 pandemic phase (January-December 2020), were collected from medical records and the laboratory information system of a regional reference hospital (Basilicata, Italy) and compared with those obtained during the corresponding period in 2019. RESULTS A significant decrease in the 2020 autoimmunity laboratory test volume was found when compared with the same period in 2019 (9912 vs 14,100; P < 0.05). A significant decrease in first rheumatological visits and diagnosis (1272 vs 2336; P < 0.05) was also observed. However, an equivalent or higher percentage of positive autoimmunity results from outpatient services was recorded during 2020 when compared to the prepandemic state. Of note, COVID-19-associated decline in new diagnoses affected mainly less severe diseases. In contrast, ARDs with systemic involvement were diagnosed at the same levels as in the prepandemic period. CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic has affected access to health services. However, our study highlighted that during the outbreak, greater appropriateness of the requests for laboratory tests and visits emerged, as shown by a greater percentage of positive test results and new diagnoses of more severe ARDs compared to the prepandemic period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Carbone
- T. Carbone, PhD, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Azienda Sanitaria di Matera (ASM), Matera; V. Picerno, MD, P. Leccese, MD, A.A. Padula, MD, S. D'Angelo, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania - San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; V. Pafundi, MD, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; E. Esposito, MD, Health Department, Basilicata Region, Potenza, Italy. T. Carbone and V. Picerno contributed equally. The authors declare no conflict of interests relevant to this article. Address correspondence to Dr. V. Pafundi, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potito Petrone St., 85100 Potenza, Italy. . Accepted for publication September 30, 2021
| | - Valentina Picerno
- T. Carbone, PhD, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Azienda Sanitaria di Matera (ASM), Matera; V. Picerno, MD, P. Leccese, MD, A.A. Padula, MD, S. D'Angelo, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania - San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; V. Pafundi, MD, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; E. Esposito, MD, Health Department, Basilicata Region, Potenza, Italy. T. Carbone and V. Picerno contributed equally. The authors declare no conflict of interests relevant to this article. Address correspondence to Dr. V. Pafundi, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potito Petrone St., 85100 Potenza, Italy. . Accepted for publication September 30, 2021
| | - Vito Pafundi
- T. Carbone, PhD, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Azienda Sanitaria di Matera (ASM), Matera; V. Picerno, MD, P. Leccese, MD, A.A. Padula, MD, S. D'Angelo, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania - San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; V. Pafundi, MD, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; E. Esposito, MD, Health Department, Basilicata Region, Potenza, Italy. T. Carbone and V. Picerno contributed equally. The authors declare no conflict of interests relevant to this article. Address correspondence to Dr. V. Pafundi, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potito Petrone St., 85100 Potenza, Italy. . Accepted for publication September 30, 2021
| | - Ernesto Esposito
- T. Carbone, PhD, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Azienda Sanitaria di Matera (ASM), Matera; V. Picerno, MD, P. Leccese, MD, A.A. Padula, MD, S. D'Angelo, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania - San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; V. Pafundi, MD, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; E. Esposito, MD, Health Department, Basilicata Region, Potenza, Italy. T. Carbone and V. Picerno contributed equally. The authors declare no conflict of interests relevant to this article. Address correspondence to Dr. V. Pafundi, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potito Petrone St., 85100 Potenza, Italy. . Accepted for publication September 30, 2021
| | - Pietro Leccese
- T. Carbone, PhD, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Azienda Sanitaria di Matera (ASM), Matera; V. Picerno, MD, P. Leccese, MD, A.A. Padula, MD, S. D'Angelo, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania - San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; V. Pafundi, MD, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; E. Esposito, MD, Health Department, Basilicata Region, Potenza, Italy. T. Carbone and V. Picerno contributed equally. The authors declare no conflict of interests relevant to this article. Address correspondence to Dr. V. Pafundi, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potito Petrone St., 85100 Potenza, Italy. . Accepted for publication September 30, 2021
| | - Angela Anna Padula
- T. Carbone, PhD, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Azienda Sanitaria di Matera (ASM), Matera; V. Picerno, MD, P. Leccese, MD, A.A. Padula, MD, S. D'Angelo, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania - San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; V. Pafundi, MD, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; E. Esposito, MD, Health Department, Basilicata Region, Potenza, Italy. T. Carbone and V. Picerno contributed equally. The authors declare no conflict of interests relevant to this article. Address correspondence to Dr. V. Pafundi, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potito Petrone St., 85100 Potenza, Italy. . Accepted for publication September 30, 2021
| | - Salvatore D'Angelo
- T. Carbone, PhD, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Azienda Sanitaria di Matera (ASM), Matera; V. Picerno, MD, P. Leccese, MD, A.A. Padula, MD, S. D'Angelo, MD, PhD, Rheumatology Institute of Lucania - San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; V. Pafundi, MD, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza; E. Esposito, MD, Health Department, Basilicata Region, Potenza, Italy. T. Carbone and V. Picerno contributed equally. The authors declare no conflict of interests relevant to this article. Address correspondence to Dr. V. Pafundi, Immunopathology Laboratory, San Carlo Hospital, Potito Petrone St., 85100 Potenza, Italy. . Accepted for publication September 30, 2021
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14
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Gant-Farley HY, Ross MK, Hudak RP. After COVID-19: Improving the Patient's Outpatient Appointment Experience. J Patient Exp 2021; 8:23743735211039320. [PMID: 34869833 PMCID: PMC8642052 DOI: 10.1177/23743735211039320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As the COVID-19 pandemic diminishes, it is expected that patients will seek more outpatient appointments resulting in adverse patient and clinic experiences if there is a corresponding increase in missed appointments. This study's purpose was to determine if there was an association between advanced access scheduling, also known as open access or same day scheduling, and missed appointment rates for patients scheduled with preferred primary care physicians vis-a-vis nonpreferred primary care physicians. Patients prescheduled with primary care providers and over the age of 18 years were included in the study, which totaled 4815 visits. Study results demonstrated a statistically significant mean proportion difference between the national no-show rate and the study's no-show rate as well as a significant association between physician type and visit status. The results suggested the potential for improving the patient experience with advanced access scheduling if patients are scheduled with their preferred primary care physician. This study may promote positive patient experiences by providing patients and clinicians with an understanding of the significance surrounding advanced access scheduling thus decreasing missed appointments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ronald P. Hudak
- U.S. Department of Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, VA,
USA
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15
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Sung HK, Paik JH, Lee YJ, Kang S. Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Emergency Care Utilization in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: a Nationwide Population-based Study. J Korean Med Sci 2021; 36:e111. [PMID: 33904263 PMCID: PMC8076842 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted various aspects of daily living and has influenced the life of every individual in a unique way. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with high morbidity and mortality; thus, timely treatment is crucial to prevent poor prognosis. Therefore, an immediate emergency department (ED) visit is required; however, no domestic studies have reported the effect of COVID-19 on ED visits by patients with AMI. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the changes in the pattern of ED visits by patients with AMI by comparing visits during the COVID-19 outbreak period to those during two control periods. METHODS This nationwide, retrospective study used registry data of the National Emergency Department Information System. The 'outbreak period' was defined as the period between February 21, 2020 and April 1, 2020, while the 'control period' was defined as the same time period in the preceding two years (2018 and 2019). The primary outcome of our study was the number of patients admitted to the ED owing to AMI during the outbreak and control periods. Secondary outcomes were time from symptom onset to ED visit, length of ED stay, and 30-day mortality following admission. RESULTS During the outbreak period, 401,378 patients visited the ED; this number was lower than that during the control periods (2018: 577,548; 2019: 598,514). The number of patients with AMI visiting the ED was lower during the outbreak period (2,221) than during 2018 (2,437) and 2019 (2,591). CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a reduction in ED visits by patients with AMI. We assume that this could likely be caused by misinterpretation of AMI symptoms as symptoms of respiratory infection, fear of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and restrictions in accessing emergency medical care owing to overburdened healthcare facilities. This study sheds light on the fact that healthcare and emergency medical staff members must work towards eliminating hurdles due to this pandemic for patients to receive timely emergency care, which in turn will help curb the growing burden of mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Kyung Sung
- National Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin Hui Paik
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
| | - Yu Jin Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
| | - Soo Kang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
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