Department of Emergency Medicine, Ankara City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Batman State Hospital, Batman, Turkey.
Int J Clin Pract. 2020 Dec;74(12):e13624. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.13624. Epub 2020 Aug 27.
We aimed to investigate the demographic shifts in emergency service admissions, possible measures and room for improvement in emergency services during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our study retrospectively analysed the demographic features and clinical admission types of patients admitted to Batman District State Hospital Emergency Service at two different time periods, one between 28 March 2019 and 28 April 2019 (prior to the Covid-19 pandemic) and the other between 28 March 2020 and 28 April 2020 (during the Covid-19 pandemic). The results were compared between the two periods designated as the pandemic period and the pre-pandemic period.
The number of patients admitted to emergency service was 47,681 in the pre-pandemic period and 9455 in the pandemic period (P < .01). The number of patients examined in green zone (non-urgent cases) was 27,701 (58%) in the pre-pandemic period and 3668 (38.7%) in the pandemic period (P < .01). The number of patients admitted for trauma was 1247 (2.61%) in the pre-pandemic period and 59 (0.62%) in the pandemic period (P < .01). The number of patients hospitalised to cardiology department or coronary care unit for acute coronary syndrome was 602 (1.26%) in the pre-pandemic period and 29 (0.3%) in the pandemic period (P < .01). The number of patients hospitalised to neurological intensive care unit for acute cerebrovascular disease was 542 (1.13%) in the pre-pandemic period and 22 (0.2%) in the pandemic period (P < .01). The number of patients hospitalised to pulmonary diseases department or intensive care unit for dyspnea was 622 (1.21%) in the pre-pandemic period and 515 (5.4%) in the pandemic period (P < .01).
Measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infection have caused a significant drop in emergency service admissions. We are of the opinion that this will lead to an increase in deaths occurring at home, and we will soon encounter patients with worse prognosis and overcrowded emergency services. We are in opinion that the public awareness about emergency conditions requiring emergency service admission should be heightened alongside of the "stay home" calls. As: "In order to reduce morbidity and mortality from non-covid-19 conditions, we call for heightened public awareness on other emergency and urgent symptoms, which should prompt urgent attendance to medical services."
我们旨在研究在 COVID-19 大流行期间，急诊服务入院的人口统计学变化，可能采取的措施以及急诊服务的改进空间。
我们的研究回顾性地分析了在两个不同时期（COVID-19 大流行之前的 2019 年 3 月 28 日至 4 月 28 日和 COVID-19 大流行期间的 2020 年 3 月 28 日至 4 月 28 日），在 Batman 地区州立医院急诊部入院的患者的人口统计学特征和临床入院类型。将两个时期的结果进行了比较，分别标记为大流行时期和大流行前时期。
大流行前时期急诊服务入院人数为 47681 人，大流行期间为 9455 人（P<.01）。大流行前时期绿色区域（非紧急情况）检查的患者人数为 27701 人（58％），大流行期间为 3668 人（38.7％）（P<.01）。大流行前时期因创伤而入院的患者人数为 1247 人（2.61％），大流行期间为 59 人（0.62％）（P<.01）。大流行前时期因急性冠状动脉综合征而住院至心脏病科或冠心病监护病房的患者人数为 602 人（1.26％），大流行期间为 29 人（0.3％）（P<.01）。大流行前时期因急性脑血管病而住院至神经科重症监护病房的患者人数为 542 人（1.13％），大流行期间为 22 人（0.2％）（P<.01）。大流行前时期因呼吸困难而住院至肺部疾病科或重症监护病房的患者人数为 622 人（1.21％），大流行期间为 515 人（5.4％）（P<.01）。
为防止 COVID-19 感染的传播而采取的措施导致急诊服务入院人数明显下降。我们认为，这将导致在家中死亡的人数增加，我们将很快遇到预后较差且急诊服务拥挤的患者。我们认为，应该提高公众对需要急诊服务入院的急诊情况的认识，同时呼吁“待在家里”。如：“为了降低非 COVID-19 疾病的发病率和死亡率，我们呼吁公众提高对其他紧急和紧急症状的认识，这应该促使人们紧急就医。”
