Neuroradiological emergency consultations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract Background Measures taking aim at minimizing the risk of coronavirus transmission and fear of infection may affect decisions to seek care for other medical emergency conditions. The purpose of this analysis was to analyze intermediate-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on neuroradiologic...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Neurological Research and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42466-021-00147-8 |
| _version_ | 1818733210001997824 |
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| author | Johannes A. R. Pfaff Marcial E. Harlan Günter Pfaff Alexander Hubert Martin Bendszus |
| author_facet | Johannes A. R. Pfaff Marcial E. Harlan Günter Pfaff Alexander Hubert Martin Bendszus |
| author_sort | Johannes A. R. Pfaff |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Measures taking aim at minimizing the risk of coronavirus transmission and fear of infection may affect decisions to seek care for other medical emergency conditions. The purpose of this analysis was to analyze intermediate-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on neuroradiological emergency consultations (NECs). Methods We conducted an ambispective study on NEC requests to a university hospital from a teleradiological network covering 13 hospitals in Germany. Weekly NEC rates for prepandemic calendar weeks (CW) 01/2019–09/2020 were compared with rates during first COVID-19 wave (CW 10–20/2020), first loosening of restrictions (CW 21–29/2020), intensified COVID-19 testing (CW 30–39/2020) and second COVID-19 wave (CW 40–53/2020), and contrasted with COVID-19 incidence in Germany. Results A total of n = 10 810 NECs were analyzed. Prepandemic NEC rates were stable over time (median: 103, IQR: 97–115). Upon the first COVID-19 wave in Germany, NEC rates declined sharply (median: 86, IQR: 69–92; p < 0.001) but recovered within weeks. Changes in NEC rates after first loosening of restrictions (median: 109, IQR: 98–127; p = 0. 188), a phase of intensified testing (median: 111, IQR: 101–114; p = 0.434) and as of a second COVID-19 wave (median: 102, IQR: 94–112; p = 0. 462) were not significant. Likewise, patient age and gender distribution remained constant. Conclusion Upon the first pandemic COVID-19 wave in Germany, NEC rates declined but recovered within weeks. It is unknown whether this recovery reflects improved medical care and test capabilities or an adjustment of the patients’ behaviour. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:45:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c710c6cc64a6441cb682bcd149026e65 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2524-3489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:45:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Neurological Research and Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-c710c6cc64a6441cb682bcd149026e652022-12-21T21:28:20ZengBMCNeurological Research and Practice2524-34892021-08-01311710.1186/s42466-021-00147-8Neuroradiological emergency consultations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemicJohannes A. R. Pfaff0Marcial E. Harlan1Günter Pfaff2Alexander Hubert3Martin Bendszus4Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University HospitalDepartment of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University HospitalVisiting Lecturer in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Protestant University of Applied Sciences LudwigsburgDepartment of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University HospitalDepartment of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University HospitalAbstract Background Measures taking aim at minimizing the risk of coronavirus transmission and fear of infection may affect decisions to seek care for other medical emergency conditions. The purpose of this analysis was to analyze intermediate-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on neuroradiological emergency consultations (NECs). Methods We conducted an ambispective study on NEC requests to a university hospital from a teleradiological network covering 13 hospitals in Germany. Weekly NEC rates for prepandemic calendar weeks (CW) 01/2019–09/2020 were compared with rates during first COVID-19 wave (CW 10–20/2020), first loosening of restrictions (CW 21–29/2020), intensified COVID-19 testing (CW 30–39/2020) and second COVID-19 wave (CW 40–53/2020), and contrasted with COVID-19 incidence in Germany. Results A total of n = 10 810 NECs were analyzed. Prepandemic NEC rates were stable over time (median: 103, IQR: 97–115). Upon the first COVID-19 wave in Germany, NEC rates declined sharply (median: 86, IQR: 69–92; p < 0.001) but recovered within weeks. Changes in NEC rates after first loosening of restrictions (median: 109, IQR: 98–127; p = 0. 188), a phase of intensified testing (median: 111, IQR: 101–114; p = 0.434) and as of a second COVID-19 wave (median: 102, IQR: 94–112; p = 0. 462) were not significant. Likewise, patient age and gender distribution remained constant. Conclusion Upon the first pandemic COVID-19 wave in Germany, NEC rates declined but recovered within weeks. It is unknown whether this recovery reflects improved medical care and test capabilities or an adjustment of the patients’ behaviour.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42466-021-00147-8COVID-19StrokeTransient ischemic attackConsultationsComputed tomography |
| spellingShingle | Johannes A. R. Pfaff Marcial E. Harlan Günter Pfaff Alexander Hubert Martin Bendszus Neuroradiological emergency consultations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic Neurological Research and Practice COVID-19 Stroke Transient ischemic attack Consultations Computed tomography |
| title | Neuroradiological emergency consultations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Neuroradiological emergency consultations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Neuroradiological emergency consultations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neuroradiological emergency consultations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Neuroradiological emergency consultations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | neuroradiological emergency consultations during the first year of the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | COVID-19 Stroke Transient ischemic attack Consultations Computed tomography |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42466-021-00147-8 |
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