Top

Published in:

01-05-2021 | Stroke | COVID-19

Clinical activity changes in the neurology department of Wenzhou during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational analysis

Authors: Yun-Gang Cao, Yan Li, Jie Shen, Meng-Meng Shao, Xian-Da Lin, Juan-Juan Zhu, Xiao-Yan Huang, Zi-Cheng Cheng, Jue-Yue Yan, Ke-Yang Chen

Published in: Neurological Sciences | Issue 5/2021

Abstract

Objective

To explore the activity changes in neurology clinical practice that have occurred in tertiary public hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Outpatient and inpatient data from the neurology department were extracted from the electronic medical record system of three tertiary Grade A hospitals in Wenzhou. Data were analyzed across 5 months following the beginning of the pandemic (from January 13 to May 17) and compared with the same period in 2019. Data on reperfusion therapy for acute infarction stroke were extracted monthly from January to April.

Results

The number of outpatients declined from 102,300 in 2019 to 75,154 in 2020 (26.54%), while the number of inpatients in the three tertiary Grade A hospitals decreased from 4641 to 3437 (25.94%). The latter trend showed a significant drop from the 3rd week to the 7th week. The number of patients in these hospitals decreased significantly, and a significant drop was seen in the neurology department. As usual, stroke was the most common disease observed; however, anxiety/depression and insomnia increased dramatically in the outpatient consultation department.

Conclusions

The results of our study revealed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the clinical practice of neurology in Wenzhou during the outbreak. Understanding the pandemic’s trends and impact on neurological patients and health systems will allow for better preparation of neurologists in the future.

Tsai J, Wilson M (2020) COVID-19: a potential public health problem for homeless populations. Lancet Public Health 5(4):e186–e187. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30053-0CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Willan J, King AJ, Jeffery K, Bienz N (2020) Challenges for NHS hospitals during covid-19 epidemic. BMJ 368:m1117. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1117CrossRefPubMed

French JA, Brodie MJ, Caraballo R, Devinsky O, Ding D, Jehi L et al (2020) Keeping people with epilepsy safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neurology 94(23):1032–1037. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000009632CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Han Y, Liu Y, Zhou L, Chen E, Liu P, Pan X, Lu Y (2020) Epidemiological assessment of imported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the most affected city outside of Hubei Province, Wenzhou, China. JAMA Netw Open 3(4):e206785-e206785. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.6785CrossRef

Wu JT, Leung K, Leung GM (2020) Nowcasting and forecasting the potential domestic and international spread of the 2019-nCoV outbreak originating in Wuhan, China: a modelling study. Lancet 395(10225):689–697. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30260-9CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Health Commission of Wenzhou Outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wenzhou (daily updates) 2020; Available from: http://wjw.wenzhou.gov.cn/

Chen KY, Li T, Gong FH, Zhang JS, Li XK (2020) Predictors of health-related quality of life and influencing factors for COVID-19 patients, a follow-up at one month. Front Psychiatry 11:668. Published 2020 Jul 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00668CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Chen N, Zhou M, Dong X, Qu J, Gong F, Han Y, Qiu Y, Wang J, Liu Y, Wei Y, Xia J, Yu T, Zhang X, Zhang L (2020) Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. Lancet 395(10223):507–513. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30211-7CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Wilder-Smith A, Freedman DO (2020) Isolation, quarantine, social distancing and community containment: pivotal role for old-style public health measures in the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak. J Travel Med 27(2):taaa020. https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taaa020CrossRefPubMed

10.

Dubas-Jakóbczyk K, Domagała A, Mikos M (2019) Impact of the doctor deficit on hospital management in Poland: a mixed-method study. Int J Health Plann Manag 34(1):187–195. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.2612CrossRef

11.

Baracchini C, Pieroni A, Viaro F, Cianci V, Cattelan AM, Tiberio I, Munari M, Causin F (2020) Acute stroke management pathway during Coronavirus-19 pandemic. Neurol Sci 41(5):1003–1005. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-020-04375-9CrossRefPubMed

12.

Frisullo G, Brunetti V, Di Iorio R, Broccolini A, Caliandro P, Monforte M, Morosetti R, Piano C, Pilato F, Calabresi P, Della Marca G, STROKE TEAM Collaborators (2020) Effect of lockdown on the management of ischemic stroke: an Italian experience from a COVID hospital. Neurol Sci 6:1–5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-020-04545-9CrossRef

13.

Caproni S, Di Schino C, Costantini F, Parisi G, Colosimo C (2020) Letter to the editor: "COVID-19 does not reduce stroke-related emergencies". Acta Neurol Belg 120(5):1259–1260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-020-01444-wCrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

14.

Thornton J (2020) Stroke: “striking reductions” are seen in number of people with symptoms seeking help. BMJ. 269:m1406. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1406CrossRef

15.

Bersano A, Pantoni L (2020) On being a neurologist in Italy at the time of the COVID-19 outbreak. Neurology 94:905–906. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000009508CrossRefPubMed

16.

Pappa S, Ntella V, Giannakas T, Giannakoulis VG, Papoutsi E, Katsaounou P (2020) Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Behav Immun S0889–1591(20):30845-X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.026CrossRef

17.

Voitsidis P, Gliatas I, Bairachtari V, Papadopoulou K, Papageorgiou G, Parlapani E et al (2020) Insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Greek population. Psychiatry Res 289:113076–113076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113076CrossRef

18.

(2020) Send in the therapists? Lancet Psychiatry 7(4):291. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30102-4

19.

Greenberg N, Docherty M, Gnanapragasam S, Wessely S (2020) Managing mental health challenges faced by healthcare workers during covid-19 pandemic. BMJ 368:m1211. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1211CrossRefPubMed

20.

Liu X, Luo WT, Li Y, Li CN, Hong ZS, Chen HL, Xiao F, Xia JF (2020) Psychological status and behavior changes of the public during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Infect Dis Poverty 9(1):58. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-020-00678-3CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

21.

Chaves C, Castellanos T, Abrams M, Vazquez C (2018) The impact of economic recessions on depression and individual and social well-being: the case of Spain (2006–2013). Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 53(9):977–986. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1558-2CrossRefPubMed

22.

de Girolamo G, Cerveri G, Clerici M, Monzani E, Spinogatti F, Starace F et al (2020) Mental health in the coronavirus disease 2019 emergency-the Italian response. JAMA Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.1276

23.

North CS, Pfefferbaum B (2013) Mental health response to community disasters: a systematic review. JAMA 310(5):507–518. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.107799CrossRefPubMed

24.

Xiang Y-T, Yang Y, Li W, Zhang L, Zhang Q, Cheung T et al (2020) Timely mental health care for the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak is urgently needed. Lancet Psychiatry 7(3):228–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30046-8CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

25.

Baldin E, Hauser WA, Pack A, Hesdorffer DC (2017) Stress is associated with an increased risk of recurrent seizures in adults. Epilepsia. 58(6):1037–1046. https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.13741CrossRefPubMed

26.

Huang S, Wu C, Jia Y et al (2020) COVID-19 outbreak: the impact of stress on seizures in patients with epilepsy. Epilepsia. https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.16635

27.

Vancini RL, de Lira CAB, Andrade MS, Arida RM (2020) CoVID-19 vs. epilepsy: it is time to move, act, and encourage physical exercise. Epilepsy Behav:107154–107154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.107154

28.

Kissani N, Lengané YTM, Patterson V et al (2020) Telemedicine in epilepsy: how can we improve care, teaching, and awareness? Epilepsy Behav 103(Pt A):106854. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106854CrossRefPubMed

29.

Kai SJRA (2015) Ameliorating effects of traditional Chinese medicine preparation, Chinese materia medica and active compounds on ischemia/reperfusion induced cerebral microcirculatory disturbances and neuron damage. Acta Pharm Sin B 5(1):8–24CrossRef

Title: Clinical activity changes in the neurology department of Wenzhou during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational analysis
Authors: Yun-Gang Cao
Yan Li
Jie Shen
Meng-Meng Shao
Xian-Da Lin
Juan-Juan Zhu
Xiao-Yan Huang
Zi-Cheng Cheng
Jue-Yue Yan
Ke-Yang Chen
Publication date: 01-05-2021
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Keywords: Stroke
COVID-19
Epilepsy
Published in: Neurological Sciences / Issue 5/2021
Print ISSN: 1590-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1590-3478
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05061-0

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Clinical activity changes in the neurology department of Wenzhou during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational analysis

Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 5/2021

Functional MRI in Parkinson’s disease with freezing of gait: a systematic review of the literature

Clinical presentation of strokes confined to the insula: a systematic review of literature

The prevalence of comorbidities in patients with multiple sclerosis: population-based registry data

ALS2-related disorders in Spanish children

A case of paraneoplastic optic neuropathy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Re-initiation of anticoagulation after central nervous system hemorrhage during treatment with direct oral anticoagulants: a single hospital cohort study