Phone: (+39) 0813995453


Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with liver cirrhosis-the experience of a tertiary center in Germany

HumanInsight Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with liver cirrhosis-the experience of a tertiary center in Germany

Z Gastroenterol. 2021 Sep;59(9):954-960. doi: 10.1055/a-1540-7726. Epub 2021 Sep 10.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant impact on the medical care of many diseases and has led to reduced presentations to the emergency department. Reduced presentations may be due to overwhelmed capacities of hospitals or collateral damage from fear of infection, lockdown regulations, or other reasons. The effect on patients with liver cirrhosis is not established.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to assess the impact on the care of patients with liver cirrhosis in a tertiary center in Northern Germany.

METHODS: All patients presenting to the emergency department with a diagnosis of cirrhosis between March 1 and May 31 from 2015-2020 were included. Reasons for presentation, duration of symptoms, the severity of liver disease, and 30-day mortality were assessed and compared between patients presenting during the COVID-19 pandemic and pre-COVID-19.

RESULTS: Overall, 235 patients were included. Despite an overall decline in presentations to the emergency department by 11.7%, the frequency of patients presenting with liver cirrhosis has remained stable (non-significant increase by 19.5%). No significant difference could be detected for the MELD score, the CLIF-organ failure subscores, and the 30-day mortality before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Up to 75% of patients with liver cirrhosis had symptoms >24 h before presenting to the emergency department.

CONCLUSION: Despite the overall trend of reduced emergency presentations during the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of presentations of patients with liver cirrhosis did not decline. Morbidity and mortality were not affected in a setting of disposable healthcare resources. The late presentation to the emergency department in many cirrhotic patients may open opportunities for interventions (i.e., with early telemedicine intervention).

PMID:34507374 | DOI:10.1055/a-1540-7726

Powered by WPeMatico

P.IVA 08738511214
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy

Sede Legale
Viale Campi Flegrei 55
80124 - Napoli

Sede Operativa
Via G.Porzio 4
Centro Direzionale G1
80143 - Napoli

ISO9001
AI 4394
© Copyright 2022 - Humaninsight Srls - All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
envelopephone-handsetmap-marker linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram