Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
Am J Otolaryngol. 2021 Sep-Oct;42(5):103123. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2021.103123. Epub 2021 Jun 19.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, emergency departments (ED) across the country have seen a significant decrease in patient visits. We aim to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on ED visits for acute otolaryngologic complaints in New York City, one of the first epicenters of the pandemic in the US.
We conducted a retrospective study of patients who presented to the ED with a primary diagnosis of an acute otolaryngologic complaint between March 1 and May 31 in 2019 and 2020. This was a multicenter study, including two tertiary care hospital systems encompassing Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, and Long Island.
A total of 10,162 patients were identified. Significantly fewer patients presented to the ED for acute otolaryngologic complaints in 2020 (7332 vs 2830, p < 0.001). The rate of total otolaryngology-related ED visits was decreased by a factor of 0.635 (95% CI 0.6079 to 0.6634). In a subgroup analysis of each individual diagnosis, there was a significant decrease in rate of ED visits for 13 out of 18 diagnoses, including for life-threatening conditions, such as anaphylaxis. There was no significant difference based on which borough in New York City. Pediatric patients (age 0-17) were more significantly impacted by the pandemic compared to other age groups.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a reduction in the utilization of ED for acute otolaryngologic complaints, including those requiring emergent management, and an even more significant reduction in the pediatric population. Healthcare providers should encourage patients to seek appropriate care, particularly for those illnesses with significant associated morbidity and mortality.
自 COVID-19 大流行开始以来，全美各地的急诊科（ED）就诊患者数量显著减少。我们旨在评估 COVID-19 对美国疫情首发地之一的纽约市急性耳鼻喉科投诉 ED 就诊的影响。
我们对 2019 年 3 月 1 日至 5 月 31 日期间因急性耳鼻喉科疾病就诊于 ED 的患者进行了回顾性研究。这是一项多中心研究，包括两家涵盖曼哈顿、布朗克斯、皇后区和长岛的三级保健医院系统。
共确定了 10162 例患者。2020 年，因急性耳鼻喉科疾病就诊于 ED 的患者明显减少（7332 例比 2830 例，p<0.001）。耳鼻喉科相关 ED 就诊率下降了 0.635 倍（95%CI 0.6079 至 0.6634）。在每个单独诊断的亚组分析中，18 个诊断中有 13 个的 ED 就诊率显著下降，包括危及生命的疾病，如过敏反应。根据纽约市的哪个行政区，就诊率没有显著差异。儿科患者（0-17 岁）比其他年龄组受大流行的影响更大。
COVID-19 大流行导致 ED 因急性耳鼻喉科疾病就诊的人数减少，包括需要紧急管理的疾病，而儿科就诊人数的减少更为显著。医疗保健提供者应鼓励患者寻求适当的医疗护理，特别是对那些有显著相关发病率和死亡率的疾病。
