A comparison of emergency department presentations for medically unexplained symptoms in frequent attenders during COVID-19.
Clin Med (Lond)
; 21(4): e399-e402, 2021 07.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1239166
Preprint
This scientific journal article is probably based on a previously available preprint. It has been identified through a machine matching algorithm, human confirmation is still pending.
See preprint
This scientific journal article is probably based on a previously available preprint. It has been identified through a machine matching algorithm, human confirmation is still pending.
See preprint
ABSTRACT
Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are those with no identified organic aetiology. Our emergency department (ED) perceived an increase in MUS frequency during COVID-19. The primary aim was to compare MUS incidence in frequent attenders (FAs) during COVID-19 and a control period.A retrospective list of FA-MUS presenting to our ED from March to June 2019 (control) and March to June 2020 (during COVID-19) was compared. Fisher's exact test was used to compare binomial proportions; this presented as relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).During COVID-19, ED attendances reduced by 32.7%, with a significant increase in the incidence of FA-MUS and FA-MUS ED visits compared to control; RR 1.5 (95%CI 1.1-1.8) p=0.0006, and RR 1.8 (95%CI 1.6-2.0), p<0.0001, respectively.Despite reduced ED attendances during COVID-19, there was a significant increase in the incidence of FA-MUS patients and corresponding ED visits by this cohort. This presents a challenge to ED clinicians who may feel underprepared to manage these patients effectively.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Medically Unexplained Symptoms
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Etiology study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Clin Med (Lond)
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Clinmed.2020-1093
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