ABSTRACT
Objetivo Conocer las enfermedades oftalmológicas más prevalentes en la atención del servicio de urgencias de un hospital comarcal y evaluar qué cambios se han producido como consecuencia de la pandemia por la COVID. Método Revisión de los informes de urgencias en pacientes menores de 18 años atendidos en nuestro hospital desde enero de 2019 hasta diciembre de 2021 y comparación de los datos prepandemia, durante la pandemia y en la recuperación al comparar los períodos 2019--2021 entre sí. Resultados Hay una reducción del 57% en las visitas a urgencias por enfermedad oftalmológica en 2020. Esta reducción afecta a los 3 grupos diagnósticos más prevalentes: conjuntivitis y ojo rojo (descenso del 69%), traumatismo y cuerpo extraño (disminución del 45%) y afectación palpebral (35% menos). En 2021 hay una recuperación parcial en los 3 grupos, pero no llega a los datos de 2019. Por otro lado, el dolor ocular y periocular muestra un aumento en la consulta tanto en 2020 (16,7% más) como en 2021 (aumento del 100%). Conclusiones Existen diferencias en la distribución de las afecciones oculares por las que se consultó en el servicio de urgencias de nuestro hospital durante los años 2019-2021. Esto sugiere un uso más racional del sistema de salud, consultas por enfermedad menos banal y un impacto de las restricciones de movilidad, lavado de manos y uso de mascarillas sobre la afección oftalmológica (AU)
Objective To know which ophthalmological pathologies are the most prevalent attending the emergency department. To assess what changes have occurred because of the COVID pandemic. Method Review of emergency reports in children under 18 years of age attended in our Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. Comparison of pre-pandemic, pandemic and «back-to-normal» data when comparing the periods 20192021 with each other. Results There is a 57% reduction in the eye-related emergency visits in 2020. This reduction affects the three more prevalent diagnostic groups: conjunctivitis and red eye (69% fall), trauma and foreign body (45% decrease) and palpebral pathology (35% less). In 2021 there is a partial recovery in the three groups, but not reaching the 2019 data. On the other side, eye and periocular pain show an increase in consultation in both 2020 (16.7% more) and 2021 (100% increase). Conclusion There are differences in the distribution of eye-related conditions that consulted at the Emergency Department at our hospital during years 20192021. This suggests a more rational use of the Health System, less banal pathology attending and an impact of mobility restrictions, handwashing and face masks wearing on ophthalmological pathology (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Primary Health Care , Emergency Service, Hospital , Eye Diseases/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Pandemics , Retrospective Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Spain/epidemiologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To know which ophthalmological pathologies are the most prevalent attending the emergency department. To assess what changes have occurred because of the COVID pandemic. METHOD: Review of emergency reports in children under 18 years of age attended in our Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. Comparison of pre-pandemic, pandemic and "back-to-normal" data when comparing the periods 2019-2021 with each other. RESULTS: There is a 57% reduction in the eye-related emergency visits in 2020. This reduction affects the three more prevalent diagnostic groups: conjunctivitis and red eye (69% fall), trauma and foreign body (45% decrease) and palpebral pathology (35% less). In 2021 there is a partial recovery in the three groups, but not reaching the 2019 data. On the other side, eye and periocular pain show an increase in consultation in both 2020 (16,7% more) and 2021 (100% increase). CONCLUSION: There are differences in the distribution of eye-related conditions that consulted at the Emergency Department at our hospital during years 2019-2021. This suggests a more rational use of the Health System, less banal pathology attending and an impact of mobility restrictions, handwashing and face masks wearing on ophthalmological pathology.
