Status epilepticus admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Salzburg-A population-based study.
Epilepsia
; 61(12): e198-e203, 2020 12.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-901038
ABSTRACT
Several emergencies were admitted less frequently to the hospital during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To investigate whether this also occurred with status epilepticus (SE) we compared admissions due to first SE from March to April 2020 ("Time of COVID," TOC) with January to February 2020 ("pre-COVID," preCOV). We also compared admission numbers in TOC and preCOV with the respective 2-month periods in 2018 and 2019 in a retrospective cohort analysis. Two investigators independently searched the hospital patient database for various forms of SE. There was no significant change in the 2-month incidences of first SE in the city of Salzburg from preCOV of 6.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.9-12.3) to TOC of 6.9/100 000 adults (95% CI 3.4-13.3). Admission numbers did not differ significantly from previous years. Estimated adjusted incidence was in line with a recent 5-year epidemiological study in Salzburg. However, a trend toward less-frequent nonconvulsive SE (NCSE) and loss of female predominance were indirect hints of underdiagnosing SE. In contrast to other medical conditions, SE most often presents clinically with impaired consciousness, which may promote admission to emergency departments even in times of lock-down. Further research of medical support of women and patients with NCSE during pandemic-related restrictions is warranted.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Status Epilepticus
/
COVID-19
/
Hospitalization
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Young adult
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Epilepsia
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Epi.16737
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