Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Small Animal Trauma Patterns in Australia: A Multicentre Study
ObjectiveTo determine whether patterns of trauma changed following the start of local lockdowns due to COVID-19.DesignMulti-institutional retrospective study assessing patients presenting within 2 years prior to local lockdown due to COVID-19 and 1 year following lockdown inclusive.SettingTwo univer...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.908679/full |
| _version_ | 1811239753761161216 |
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| author | Mara C. Hickey Elizabeth Napier Hui Mei Ong |
| author_facet | Mara C. Hickey Elizabeth Napier Hui Mei Ong |
| author_sort | Mara C. Hickey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveTo determine whether patterns of trauma changed following the start of local lockdowns due to COVID-19.DesignMulti-institutional retrospective study assessing patients presenting within 2 years prior to local lockdown due to COVID-19 and 1 year following lockdown inclusive.SettingTwo university teaching hospitals and one private referral center in Australia.AnimalsDogs and cats with a presenting complaint of known or suspected trauma.InterventionsPatient signalment, date of presentation, trauma type, treatment interventions and patient outcome (survival to discharge, cardiopulmonary arrest, or euthanasia) were recorded in a web-based data capture system (REDCap).Measurements and Main ResultsThree thousand one hundred eighty-nine patients (682 cats and 2,507 dogs) were included in the study. Overall trauma prevalence was 2.9% with pre-lockdown prevalence of 2.8% and post-lockdown prevalence of 3.1% (p < 0.001). Cats had higher rates of blunt trauma while penetrating trauma was more prevalent in dogs (p < 0.001). Juvenile patients were also more likely to have blunt trauma when compared to adult patients (p < 0.001). Patient age and sex characteristics did not differ when comparing the 2 time periods. Compared to pre-lockdown, blunt and penetrating trauma patterns changed post-lockdown in dogs and cats (p < 0.001 for both). Interventions were performed more frequently (p = 0.039) in the post-lockdown with surgical procedures having a significant increase (p = 0.015). Survival rates increased post-lockdown for both species (p < 0.001) with financially driven euthanasia being less common than in pre-lockdown for dogs (p = 0.02).ConclusionsTrauma patterns changed for cats and dogs in the post-lockdown period. Compared to pre-lockdown, trauma prevalence was higher with a decrease in mortality rate. No increase in juvenile patients was identified post-lockdown. A decrease in financially driven euthanasia and an increase in interventions suggest no negative financial effect from COVID-19 lockdown on trauma patient care in Australia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:06:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1de078da145846a78bbce15c122dd335 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:06:42Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-1de078da145846a78bbce15c122dd3352022-12-22T03:31:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692022-06-01910.3389/fvets.2022.908679908679Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Small Animal Trauma Patterns in Australia: A Multicentre StudyMara C. Hickey0Elizabeth Napier1Hui Mei Ong2Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaAnimal Referral & Emergency Centre, Broadmeadow, NSW, AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, AustraliaObjectiveTo determine whether patterns of trauma changed following the start of local lockdowns due to COVID-19.DesignMulti-institutional retrospective study assessing patients presenting within 2 years prior to local lockdown due to COVID-19 and 1 year following lockdown inclusive.SettingTwo university teaching hospitals and one private referral center in Australia.AnimalsDogs and cats with a presenting complaint of known or suspected trauma.InterventionsPatient signalment, date of presentation, trauma type, treatment interventions and patient outcome (survival to discharge, cardiopulmonary arrest, or euthanasia) were recorded in a web-based data capture system (REDCap).Measurements and Main ResultsThree thousand one hundred eighty-nine patients (682 cats and 2,507 dogs) were included in the study. Overall trauma prevalence was 2.9% with pre-lockdown prevalence of 2.8% and post-lockdown prevalence of 3.1% (p < 0.001). Cats had higher rates of blunt trauma while penetrating trauma was more prevalent in dogs (p < 0.001). Juvenile patients were also more likely to have blunt trauma when compared to adult patients (p < 0.001). Patient age and sex characteristics did not differ when comparing the 2 time periods. Compared to pre-lockdown, blunt and penetrating trauma patterns changed post-lockdown in dogs and cats (p < 0.001 for both). Interventions were performed more frequently (p = 0.039) in the post-lockdown with surgical procedures having a significant increase (p = 0.015). Survival rates increased post-lockdown for both species (p < 0.001) with financially driven euthanasia being less common than in pre-lockdown for dogs (p = 0.02).ConclusionsTrauma patterns changed for cats and dogs in the post-lockdown period. Compared to pre-lockdown, trauma prevalence was higher with a decrease in mortality rate. No increase in juvenile patients was identified post-lockdown. A decrease in financially driven euthanasia and an increase in interventions suggest no negative financial effect from COVID-19 lockdown on trauma patient care in Australia.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.908679/fulltraumaCOVIDcatsdogsfinancial effect |
| spellingShingle | Mara C. Hickey Elizabeth Napier Hui Mei Ong Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Small Animal Trauma Patterns in Australia: A Multicentre Study Frontiers in Veterinary Science trauma COVID cats dogs financial effect |
| title | Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Small Animal Trauma Patterns in Australia: A Multicentre Study |
| title_full | Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Small Animal Trauma Patterns in Australia: A Multicentre Study |
| title_fullStr | Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Small Animal Trauma Patterns in Australia: A Multicentre Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Small Animal Trauma Patterns in Australia: A Multicentre Study |
| title_short | Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Small Animal Trauma Patterns in Australia: A Multicentre Study |
| title_sort | effect of covid 19 lockdown on small animal trauma patterns in australia a multicentre study |
| topic | trauma COVID cats dogs financial effect |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.908679/full |
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