The Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Epidemic on Dizziness/Vertigo Outpatients in a Neurological Clinic in China.

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic on dizziness/vertigo outpatients in a neurological clinic in China. Methods: Against the background of the COVID-19 epidemic, the data of patients who visited the neurological clinic of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital West Branch during the pandemic (February 1-May 30, 2020) and the corresponding period in 2019 (February 1-May 30, 2019) were analyzed, and patients with dizziness/vertigo from these two periods were compared to discover their demographic features and etiologic distribution according to their age and sex. Result: The absolute number of neurological outpatients decreased from 14,670 in 2019 to 8,763 in 2020 (-40.3%), with a corresponding decline in dizziness/vertigo patients (2019 n = 856; 2020 n = 1,436, -40.4%). Dizziness/vertigo was more common in women than men in these two periods (2019 women = 63.6%; 2020 women = 63.1%, p = 0.82). The overall etiology distribution was different among all disorders between the two periods (p < 0.001). There was an increase in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) (2019 vs. 2020 30.7 vs. 35%, p < 0.05) and psychogenic/persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD) (2019 vs. 2020 28.5 vs. 34.6%, p < 0.05) while a decrease in vascular vertigo during the epidemic (2019 vs. 2020 13 vs. 9.6%, p < 0.05). During the epidemic, the top three causes of dizziness/vertigo were BPPV (35%), psychogenic/PPPD (34.6%), and vascular vertigo (9.6%). A female predominance was observed in BPPV (women = 67.7%, p < 0.05) and psychogenic/PPPD (women = 67.6%, p < 0.05). In addition, the etiology ratio of different age groups was significantly different (p < 0.001). The most common cause for young and young-old patients was BPPV, and the most common cause for middle-aged and old-old patients was psychogenic/PPPD. Conclusion: The absolute number of outpatients with dizziness/vertigo during the COVID-19 pandemic was reduced during the early period of the COVID-19 outbreak. BPPV and psychogenic/PPPD were more abundant, and vascular vertigo was less frequent. Based on those data, health-care management policy for dizziness/vertigo and mental disorder should be developed during the outbreak of COVID-19 and other infective diseases.