Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 12967Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
Ear Nose Throat J. 2021 Apr;100(2_suppl):163S-168S. doi: 10.1177/0145561320980186. Epub 2020 Dec 9.
In the present report, we aimed to investigate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on vertigo/dizziness outpatient cancellations in Japan.
We examined 265 vertigo/dizziness outpatients at the ear, nose, and throat department of the Nara Medical University between March 01, 2020, and May 31, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. We also focused on 478 vertigo/dizziness outpatients between March 01, 2019, and May 31, 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, to compare the number of cancellations between these 2 periods. The reasons for cancellation and noncancellation were investigated using telephone multiple-choice questionnaires (telMCQs), particularly for patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and Meniere's disease (MD).
There were many cancellations for medical examinations during the 2020 study period. The total number of vertigo/dizziness outpatients decreased by 44.6% in the 2020 period compared to the same period in 2019. The percent reduction in clinic attendance from 2019 to 2020 (ie, [2019-2020]/2019) for patients with BPPV was higher than that for patients with MD. Compared to the other vertigo-associated conditions, patients with MD exhibited a lower percent reduction in clinic attendance. According to the results of the telMCQs, 75.0% of BPPV cases and 88.2% of MD cases cancelled their appointment and gave up visiting hospitals due to fear of COVID-19 infection, even if they had moderate to severe symptoms. On the contrary, 25.0% and 80.0% patients with BPPV and MD, respectively, did not cancel their appointment; they should not have visited the hospital but stayed at home because they had slight symptoms.
These findings suggest that advanced forms should be prepared for medical care, such as remote medicine. These forms should not only be for the disease itself but also for the mental distress caused by persistent symptoms.
在本报告中，我们旨在研究冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行对日本眩晕/头晕门诊取消的影响。
我们检查了 2020 年 3 月 1 日至 2020 年 5 月 31 日期间在日本 COVID-19 大流行期间奈良医科大学耳鼻喉科的 265 例眩晕/头晕门诊患者，还重点关注了 2019 年 3 月 1 日至 2019 年 5 月 31 日期间的 478 例眩晕/头晕门诊患者，以比较这两个时期的取消数量。使用电话多项选择问卷（telMCQs）调查取消和不取消的原因，特别是对于良性阵发性位置性眩晕（BPPV）和梅尼埃病（MD）患者。
在 2020 年的研究期间，许多人取消了体检。与 2019 年同期相比，2020 年期间眩晕/头晕门诊患者总数减少了 44.6%。BPPV 患者从 2019 年到 2020 年的就诊率下降百分比（即[2019-2020]/2019）高于 MD 患者。与其他与眩晕相关的疾病相比，MD 患者的就诊率下降百分比较低。根据 telMCQs 的结果，75.0%的 BPPV 病例和 88.2%的 MD 病例因担心 COVID-19 感染而取消预约并放弃前往医院就诊，即使他们有中度至重度症状。相反，BPPV 和 MD 患者分别有 25.0%和 80.0%的患者没有取消预约；他们不应该去医院，但应该呆在家里，因为他们只有轻微的症状。
这些发现表明，应做好远程医疗等医疗保健的准备。这些形式不仅应针对疾病本身，还应针对持续症状引起的精神困扰。
