The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on dermatology consultation requests from adult and paediatric emergency departments.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the characteristics of dermatology consultation requests from the adult and paediatric emergency departments (EDs) of a university hospital during 8 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and to compare them with the same 8 months of 2019. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic medical records of dermatology consultation requests from adult and paediatric EDs between 15 March 2019 and 15 November 2019, and between 15 March 2020 and 15 November 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The study included 495 consecutive dermatology consultation requests. In total, 283 (57%) consultation requests occurred in 2019, vs 212 (43%) between in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of consultation requests per day was significantly lower in 2020 (0.9 ± 0.1 per day) than in 2019 (1.15 ± 0.1 per day; P = .002), and was significantly lower in March, April and May 2020, as compared with March, April, and May 2019 (P = .004, P = .001, and P = .001, respectively). The median time from onset of dermatological symptoms to ED presentation was significantly longer in 2020 than in 2019 (4 days in 2019 vs 7 days in 2020; P < .001). Dermatological emergencies in 2019 and 2020 constituted 6.7% of all emergency presentations, with no significant difference between the 2 years (7.1% of all ED presentations in 2019, vs 6.1% in 2020; P = .795). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 restrictions and fear of COVID-19 infection might have discouraged patients from presenting to EDs because of skin problems; however, the easing of COVID-19 restrictions might lead to an increase in ED presentations, including non-urgent dermatological disorders. In order to reduce unnecessary use of EDs and prevent ED overcrowding, the general public should be educated about what constitutes a dermatological emergency.

The effect of COVID-19 on patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria treated with omalizumab and antihistamines: A cross-sectional, comparative study.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is defined as recurrent attacks of urticaria present for more than six weeks. The monoclonal anti-immunoglobulin E antibody, omalizumab, was approved for the treatment of CSU in patients who remain refractory to H1-antihistamines. Biologic agents are shown not to increase the risk of COVID-19 infection in different studies. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we aimed to determine the prevalance of COVID-19 infection in relation to the age, gender, presence of other comorbidities, and treatment given for CSU. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study of 233 patients diagnosed with CSU in a tertiary referral hospital. Demographical data, treatment given for CSU, the presence of COVID-19-related symptoms, history of close contact to a person with COVID-19 and COVID-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results were determined via a telephone survey and checked from medical data records. RESULTS: One hundred sixty patients were female; whereas 73 were male. The mean age was 44.76. Out of 233 patients with chronic urticaria, 125 had symptoms related to COVID-19 infection. RT-PCR testing for COVID-19 was performed in 156 patients. Of 156 patients with COVID-19 RT-PCR test, RT-PCR result was positive in 15 cases. CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant relationship was found between COVID-19 RT-PCR positivity and the type of treatment administered for chronic urticaria when the patients are divided into omalizumab ± oral antihistamines and only oral antihistamines treatment groups (p = 0.150). Omalizumab seems to be safe in the era of COVID-19.