ABSTRACT
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed medical practice and severely disrupted the training of medical residents worldwide. The Spanish Society of Neurology conducted a study to assess its impact on the training of neurology residents in Spain. Method(s): We performed a descriptive, cross-sectional study through a survey distributed by e-mail to all neurology residents belonging to the Society. The survey included questions on demographic variables, care activity, and personal and educational impact of the pandemic, as well as respondents' expectations for the future of their work in the post-pandemic era. Result(s): Of 422 surveys sent, we received a total of 152 responses (36%);79 respondents (52%) were women and 73 (48%) were men. By year of residency, 51 respondents (33.6%) were in the fourth year, 45 (29.6%) in the third year, 28 (18.4%) in the second year, and 28 (18.4%) in the first year. A total of 139 respondents (90.8%) reported changes in hospital activity, and 126 (82.8%) considered the situation to have had a negative impact on their training, with 99 (64.7%) having lost non-recoverable rotations. Sixty-six percent of respondents (n=101) expressed a desire to extend their residency period. Conclusion(s): The pandemic has had an extremely severe impact on all areas of the health system, with trainee physicians being one of the most affected groups. Among neurology residents, the crisis has caused significant shortcomings in their training and clinical activities, through the suspension of specific rotations. A high percentage of respondents wished to extend the residency period.Copyright © 2021 Sociedad Espanola de Neurologia
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Spain has been one of the countries more heavily stricken by SARS-CoV-2, which has had huge implications for stroke care. The aim was to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak on reperfusion therapies for acute ischaemic stroke in the northwest of Spain. METHODS: This was a Spanish multicentre retrospective observational study based on data from tertiary hospitals of the NORDICTUS network. All patients receiving reperfusion therapy for ischaemic stroke between 30 December 2019 and 3 May 2020 were recorded, and their baseline, clinical and radiological characteristics, extra- and intra-hospital times of action, Code Stroke activation pathway, COVID-19 status, reperfusion rate, and short-term outcome before and after the setting of the emergency state were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 796 patients received reperfusion therapies for ischaemic stroke. There was a decrease in the number of patients treated per week (46.5 patients per week vs. 39.0 patients per week, P = 0.043) and a delay in out-of-hospital (95.0 vs. 110.0 min, P = 0.001) and door-to-needle times (51.0 vs. 55.0, P = 0.038). Patients receiving endovascular therapy obtained less successful reperfusion rates (92.9% vs. 86.6%, P = 0.016). COVID-19 patients had more in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: A decrease in the number of patients benefiting from reperfusion therapies was found, with a delay in out-of-hospital and door-to-needle times and worse reperfusion rates in northwest Spain. COVID-19 patients had more in-hospital mortality.