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The impact of COVID-19 on consultations between relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients and their neurologists in Europe and United States
Multiple Sclerosis Journal ; 27(2 SUPPL):715, 2021.
Article in English | EMBASE | ID: covidwho-1496046
ABSTRACT

Introduction:

During the 1st wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020, restrictions and 'lockdowns' impacted how healthcare was provided to many patients in Europe and the US.

Objective:

To understand the impact of COVID-19 on consultations between neurologists and Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) patients in Europe and US during the 1st wave of the pandemic.

Methods:

A multi-centre online retrospective chart-review study of patients with MS was conducted in Q2 2020 (04/2020-06/2020) and Q4 2020 (10/2020-12/2020) in Europe (UK, FR, DE, IT, ES) and US amongst neurologists (MS Nurses included in the UK). Respondents screened for duration of practice in specialty (≥3yrs) and caseload (≥15 MS patients/mo). De-identified patient charts were recorded for the next 10 eligible patients seen during the consultation period. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data.

Results:

321 and 101 (Q2), 324 and 101 (Q4) respondents were recruited in Europe and US respectively, reporting on 2244 and 709 (Q2), 2264 and 704 (Q4) RRMS patients, respectively. In Q2 2020, 39% (Europe) and 31% (US) reported RRMS patients saw their neurologist (or MS Nurse in the UK) in person, compared to 50% (Europe)/19% (US) where the consultation was conducted by phone, 6% (Europe)/ 42% (US) by telemedicine and 6% (Europe)/ 8% (US) via internet. By Q4 2020, the proportion of reported RRMS patients seen in person significantly increased to 71% in Europe and 68% in the US [p<0.01]. Reported patients seen in person were directionally more likely to have active or highly active MS and be suffering from a relapse vs those seen virtually (active or highly active Europe Q2 51% vs 35%, Q4 44% vs 36%;US Q2 47% vs 39%;Q4 46% vs 42%. Currently suffering a relapse Europe Q2 18% vs 6%, Q4 15% vs 8%;US Q2 16% vs 7%;Q4 16% vs 5%). In Europe, consultations were significantly more likely [p<0.01] to be in person vs. virtual for reported patients who had initiated or switched disease-modifying therapy in the previous 12 mo. (Q2 36% vs 26%, Q4 30% vs 22%).

Conclusions:

In the sample surveyed, in person consultations were significantly lower [p<0.01] in the first wave of the pandemic vs. the latter half of 2020. Reported patients with more active disease who started treatment recently were directionally more likely to be seen in person. Further research is needed to understand the impact of virtual appointments on the care of RRMS patients with lower disease burden.

Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Type of study: Experimental Studies Language: English Journal: Multiple Sclerosis Journal Year: 2021 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Type of study: Experimental Studies Language: English Journal: Multiple Sclerosis Journal Year: 2021 Document Type: Article