Emory University School of Medicine, 1364 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 1364 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
Emerg Radiol. 2021 Apr;28(2):339-347. doi: 10.1007/s10140-020-01889-9. Epub 2021 Jan 8.
To investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department (ED) imaging.
This retrospective study included all ED visits at a four-hospital academic health system in two matched 5-week periods. Demographic information, COVID-19 status, and disposition were reviewed. Type of imaging, acquisition time, and radiology reports were analyzed. Significance level was set at p < 0.05.
A 43.2% decrease in ED visits and 12% reduction in overall ED imaging occurred during the pandemic period. Mean age was unchanged, but a shift in gender and racial characteristics was observed (p < 0.001). In the pandemic period, COVID-19 ED patients were older (61.8 ± 16.9 years, p < 0.001) and more likely to be Black (64.2%; p < 0.001) than non-COVID-19 patients. Imaging per ED encounter increased to 2.4 ± 2.8 exams from 1.7 ± 1.1 (p < 0.001). Radiography increased (57.2% vs. 52.4%) as a fraction of total ED imaging, while computed tomography (23.4% vs. 27.2%) and ultrasound (8.5% vs. 9.6%) decreased (pre-pandemic vs. pandemic). COVID-19 ED patients underwent CT and US at a lower rate (11.5% and 5.4%) than non-COVID-19 patients (25.4% and 9.1%). The proportion of imaging study reports concluding "no disease" or "no acute disease" decreased from 56.7 to 40.6% (p < 0.001).
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant reduction in ED visits, a shift in patient demographics, and a significant decrease in imaging volume. Additional impact included a significant increase in the proportion of positive imaging studies.
研究 COVID-19 大流行对急诊部（ED）影像的影响。
本回顾性研究纳入了在一个四所医院的学术医疗系统的 ED 就诊的所有患者，比较了两个匹配的 5 周时间段。回顾了人口统计学信息、COVID-19 状态和处置情况。分析了影像类型、采集时间和放射科报告。设显著性水平为 p<0.05。
在大流行期间，ED 就诊次数减少了 43.2%，整体 ED 影像检查减少了 12%。平均年龄无变化，但性别和种族特征发生了变化（p<0.001）。在大流行期间，COVID-19 ED 患者年龄更大（61.8±16.9 岁，p<0.001），且更有可能为黑人（64.2%；p<0.001）。每例 ED 就诊的影像检查次数从 1.7±1.1 次增加到 2.4±2.8 次（p<0.001）。放射检查的比例增加（57.2%比 52.4%），而 CT（23.4%比 27.2%）和超声（8.5%比 9.6%）减少（大流行前与大流行期间）。与非 COVID-19 患者（25.4%和 9.1%）相比，COVID-19 ED 患者接受 CT 和 US 的比例较低（11.5%和 5.4%）。影像研究报告“无疾病”或“无急性疾病”的比例从 56.7%降至 40.6%（p<0.001）。
COVID-19 大流行导致 ED 就诊次数显著减少，患者人群特征发生变化，影像检查量显著减少。此外，阳性影像检查的比例显著增加。
