ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has majorly affected medical activity around the world. We sought to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy activity in France. METHODS: We performed a web-based survey, including 35 questions on the responders and their endoscopic practice, from 23 March to 27 March 2020, sent to the 3300 French gastroenterologists practicing endoscopy. RESULTS: 694 GI endoscopists (21â%) provided analyzable data; of these, 29.4â% (204/694) were involved in the management of COVID-19 patients outside the endoscopy department. During the study period, 98.7â% (685/694) of endoscopists had had to cancel procedures. There were 89 gastroenterologists (12.8â%) who reported symptoms compatible with COVID-19 infection, and a positive PCR test was recorded in 12/197 (6.1â%) vs. 3/497 (0.6â%) endoscopists in the high vs. low prevalence areas, respectively (Pâ<â0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a major reduction in the volume of GI endoscopies performed in France in March 2020.âThe prolonged limited access to GI endoscopy could lead to a delay in the management of patients with GI cancers.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/transmission , Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/statistics & numerical data , Gastroenterology/statistics & numerical data , Hospital Departments/statistics & numerical data , Occupational Exposure , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/prevention & control , Female , France/epidemiology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pandemics , Personal Protective Equipment/supply & distribution , Prevalence , SARS-CoV-2 , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has required a complete change in the management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who need to undergo endoscopic procedures. Several preventive measures must be taken to avoid the spread of infection among health-care professionals and patients with IBD, including the use of personal protective equipment, greater attention to endoscopic room hygiene and rescheduling of non-urgent procedures. This Perspective aims to provide a guide based on the Italian and French experience to better face the difficulties encountered by endoscopists during this global health emergency. In particular, recommendations regarding the use of personal protective equipment to prevent COVID-19 transmission, both for patients and health-care professionals, are proposed and different scenarios in endoscopic IBD management are evaluated to suggest when endoscopy could be rescheduled and replaced by alternative biomarkers.