Asthma exacerbation prevalence during the COVID-19 lockdown in a moderate-severe asthma cohort.
BMJ Open Respir Res
; 8(1)2021 05.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1218237
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Following the recent COVID-19 lockdown, a reduction in emergency healthcare visits was reported. Infectious diseases were less often diagnosed, while it was not clear if this was due to a decrease in prevalence or a decrease in emergency healthcare visits due to fear of COVID-19.METHODS:
This study comprises a follow-up from a recently finished randomised controlled trial, to gain insight into the prevalence of asthma exacerbation and fear of COVID-19 in patients with moderate-severe asthma and controls in the Netherlands. Participants, patients with asthma and controls, were invited to fill out a short survey by email or post. Exacerbation frequencies until 1 July 2020 were verified with the hospitals' and general practitioners' medical records, pharmacies and patient interviews.RESULTS:
In quarter 2 of 2020, mean exacerbation frequency per patient was significantly lower (χ2(3)=9.91, p=0.019) compared with quarter 2 in previous years. Patients with asthma were more likely to avoid (38.8%; controls, 0.0%, p<0.01) or delay (24.5%; controls, 0.0%, p=0.02) essential medical visits due to fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection at medical facilities.CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, we found a significantly reduced asthma exacerbation frequency during COVID-19 social distancing measures compared with previous years. Patients with asthma also showed more anxiety towards (acquiring) COVID-19 infection. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NL8576.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Asthma
/
Communicable Disease Control
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Bmjresp-2020-000758
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS