Acute Appendicitis During Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Changes in Clinical Presentation and CT Findings.
J Am Coll Radiol
; 17(8): 1011-1013, 2020 08.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1536620
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Quarantine and stay-at-home orders are strategies that many countries used during the acute pandemic period of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to prevent disease dissemination, health system overload, and mortality. However, there are concerns that patients did not seek necessary health care because of these mandates.PURPOSE:
To evaluate the differences in the clinical presentation of acute appendicitis and CT findings related to these cases between the COVID-19 acute pandemic period and nonpandemic period. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
A retrospective observational study was performed to compare the acute pandemic period (March 23, 2020, to May 4, 2020) versus the same period the year before (March 23, 2019, to May 4, 2019). The proportion of appendicitis diagnosed by CT and level of severity of the disease were reviewed in each case. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed to identify significant differences between the two groups.RESULTS:
A total of 196 abdominal CT scans performed due to suspected acute appendicitis were evaluated 55 from the acute pandemic period and 141 from the nonpandemic period. The proportion of acute appendicitis diagnosed by abdominal CT was higher in the acute pandemic period versus the nonpandemic period 45.5% versus 29.8% (P = .038). The severity of the diagnosed appendicitis was higher during the acute pandemic period 92% versus 57.1% (P = .003).CONCLUSION:
During the acute COVID-19 pandemic period, fewer patients presented with acute appendicitis to the emergency room, and those who did presented at a more severe stage of the disease.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Appendicitis
/
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
/
Infection Control
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Pandemics
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
J Am Coll Radiol
Journal subject:
Radiology
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.jacr.2020.06.002
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