Liaison Psychiatry During the Peak of the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Description of Referrals and Interventions

Introduction: The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the coronavirus family, a group of viruses that can cause upper respiratory infections in humans. Among other symptoms, it can present as an asymptomatic infection or as a more severe disease requiring hospitalization. Neuropsychiatric sympto...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mayte López-Atanes, Juan Pablo González-Briceño, Adrián Abeal-Adham, Sara Fuertes-Soriano, Janire Cabezas-Garduño, Álvar Peña-Rotella, Margarita Sáenz-Herrero
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.555080/full
_version_ 1818459345964236800
author Mayte López-Atanes
Juan Pablo González-Briceño
Adrián Abeal-Adham
Sara Fuertes-Soriano
Janire Cabezas-Garduño
Álvar Peña-Rotella
Margarita Sáenz-Herrero
Margarita Sáenz-Herrero
author_facet Mayte López-Atanes
Juan Pablo González-Briceño
Adrián Abeal-Adham
Sara Fuertes-Soriano
Janire Cabezas-Garduño
Álvar Peña-Rotella
Margarita Sáenz-Herrero
Margarita Sáenz-Herrero
author_sort Mayte López-Atanes
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the coronavirus family, a group of viruses that can cause upper respiratory infections in humans. Among other symptoms, it can present as an asymptomatic infection or as a more severe disease requiring hospitalization. Neuropsychiatric symptoms have been described in the acute phase of the illness and as long-term repercussions. We describe the characteristics and interventions in those COVID-19 patients referred to our liaison psychiatry service.Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. This study was carried out within the Department of Psychiatry of Cruces University Hospital (Basque Country, Spain). Data from each psychiatric consultation within our consultation-liaison service were consecutively obtained for 1 month from March 17 to April 17, 2020. We recruited data regarding clinical and referral characteristics and psychiatric interventions.Results: Of a total of 721 SARS-CoV-2 hospitalizations, 43 (5.6%) patients were referred to our psychiatry liaison service. The median age was 61 years old, and 62.8% were women. The infectious disease department was the most frequent petitioner (37.2%), and the most common reason for referral was patient anxiety (25.6%). A total of 67.4% of patients received psychological counseling and 55.8% received some pharmacological approach, with a median of 3.7 visits/calls per patient. In addition, 20.3% needed a medication switch due to potential interactions between psychotropics and drugs used to treat SARS-CoV-2.Discussion: In our study, up to 5.6% of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized patients needed a psychiatric evaluation, especially for anxiety and mood symptoms. Psychosocial factors associated with the pandemic, drugs used to treat the infection, or a direct causative effect of the virus may explain our findings.
first_indexed 2024-12-14T23:12:53Z
format Article
id doaj.art-838683a3e93648869185d691f21455b2
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-0640
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-14T23:12:53Z
publishDate 2021-12-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychiatry
spelling doaj.art-838683a3e93648869185d691f21455b22022-12-21T22:44:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-12-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.555080555080Liaison Psychiatry During the Peak of the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Description of Referrals and InterventionsMayte López-Atanes0Juan Pablo González-Briceño1Adrián Abeal-Adham2Sara Fuertes-Soriano3Janire Cabezas-Garduño4Álvar Peña-Rotella5Margarita Sáenz-Herrero6Margarita Sáenz-Herrero7Department of Psychiatry, Cruces University Hospital, Osakidetza-Basque Health Service, Barakaldo, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Cruces University Hospital, Osakidetza-Basque Health Service, Barakaldo, SpainDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Cruces University Hospital, Osakidetza-Basque Health Service, Barakaldo, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Cruces University Hospital, Osakidetza-Basque Health Service, Barakaldo, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Cruces University Hospital, Osakidetza-Basque Health Service, Barakaldo, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Cruces University Hospital, Osakidetza-Basque Health Service, Barakaldo, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Cruces University Hospital, Osakidetza-Basque Health Service, Barakaldo, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Cruces University Hospital, Barakaldo, SpainIntroduction: The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the coronavirus family, a group of viruses that can cause upper respiratory infections in humans. Among other symptoms, it can present as an asymptomatic infection or as a more severe disease requiring hospitalization. Neuropsychiatric symptoms have been described in the acute phase of the illness and as long-term repercussions. We describe the characteristics and interventions in those COVID-19 patients referred to our liaison psychiatry service.Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. This study was carried out within the Department of Psychiatry of Cruces University Hospital (Basque Country, Spain). Data from each psychiatric consultation within our consultation-liaison service were consecutively obtained for 1 month from March 17 to April 17, 2020. We recruited data regarding clinical and referral characteristics and psychiatric interventions.Results: Of a total of 721 SARS-CoV-2 hospitalizations, 43 (5.6%) patients were referred to our psychiatry liaison service. The median age was 61 years old, and 62.8% were women. The infectious disease department was the most frequent petitioner (37.2%), and the most common reason for referral was patient anxiety (25.6%). A total of 67.4% of patients received psychological counseling and 55.8% received some pharmacological approach, with a median of 3.7 visits/calls per patient. In addition, 20.3% needed a medication switch due to potential interactions between psychotropics and drugs used to treat SARS-CoV-2.Discussion: In our study, up to 5.6% of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized patients needed a psychiatric evaluation, especially for anxiety and mood symptoms. Psychosocial factors associated with the pandemic, drugs used to treat the infection, or a direct causative effect of the virus may explain our findings.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.555080/fullCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2liaison psychiatrymental healthpsychological counseling
spellingShingle Mayte López-Atanes
Juan Pablo González-Briceño
Adrián Abeal-Adham
Sara Fuertes-Soriano
Janire Cabezas-Garduño
Álvar Peña-Rotella
Margarita Sáenz-Herrero
Margarita Sáenz-Herrero
Liaison Psychiatry During the Peak of the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Description of Referrals and Interventions
Frontiers in Psychiatry
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
liaison psychiatry
mental health
psychological counseling
title Liaison Psychiatry During the Peak of the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Description of Referrals and Interventions
title_full Liaison Psychiatry During the Peak of the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Description of Referrals and Interventions
title_fullStr Liaison Psychiatry During the Peak of the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Description of Referrals and Interventions
title_full_unstemmed Liaison Psychiatry During the Peak of the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Description of Referrals and Interventions
title_short Liaison Psychiatry During the Peak of the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Description of Referrals and Interventions
title_sort liaison psychiatry during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic a description of referrals and interventions
topic COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
liaison psychiatry
mental health
psychological counseling
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.555080/full
work_keys_str_mv AT maytelopezatanes liaisonpsychiatryduringthepeakofthecoronaviruspandemicadescriptionofreferralsandinterventions
AT juanpablogonzalezbriceno liaisonpsychiatryduringthepeakofthecoronaviruspandemicadescriptionofreferralsandinterventions
AT adrianabealadham liaisonpsychiatryduringthepeakofthecoronaviruspandemicadescriptionofreferralsandinterventions
AT sarafuertessoriano liaisonpsychiatryduringthepeakofthecoronaviruspandemicadescriptionofreferralsandinterventions
AT janirecabezasgarduno liaisonpsychiatryduringthepeakofthecoronaviruspandemicadescriptionofreferralsandinterventions
AT alvarpenarotella liaisonpsychiatryduringthepeakofthecoronaviruspandemicadescriptionofreferralsandinterventions
AT margaritasaenzherrero liaisonpsychiatryduringthepeakofthecoronaviruspandemicadescriptionofreferralsandinterventions
AT margaritasaenzherrero liaisonpsychiatryduringthepeakofthecoronaviruspandemicadescriptionofreferralsandinterventions