TY - JOUR
T1 - Appendicitis in Children in a Large Italian COVID-19 Pandemic Area
AU - La Pergola, Enrico
AU - Sgrò, Alberto
AU - Rebosio, Federico
AU - Vavassori, Daniele
AU - Fava, Giorgio
AU - Codrich, Daniela
AU - Montanaro, Beatrice
AU - Leva, Ernesto
AU - Schleef, Jurgen
AU - Cheli, M.
AU - Pelizzo, Gloria
AU - Gamba, Piergiorgio
AU - Alberti, Daniele
AU - Betalli, Pietro
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2020 La Pergola, Sgrò, Rebosio, Vavassori, Fava, Codrich, Montanaro, Leva, Schleef, Cheli, Pelizzo, Gamba, Alberti and Betalli.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/12/9
Y1 - 2020/12/9
N2 - Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has dramatically changed the routine activities of pediatric surgical centers, and it determined the reduction of admissions in the pediatric emergency departments (PED). We reviewed the records of patients affected by acute appendicitis (AA) during the COVID-19 pandemic period in a large Italian COVID-19 pandemic area. Methods: Data regarding demographics, age, macroscopic and microscopic findings, and time between symptom onset and PED admission of patients affected by confirmed AA in the period between March and April 2020 were considered. The data were compared with those obtained during the same period of 2019, 2018, and 2017 in the included centers. Data were quoted as median (range) or absolute number. Non-parametric statistical tests were used to compare groups. A p ≤ 0.05 was regarded as significant. Since only anonymous data have been used and the data storage meets current data protection regulations, ethical committee approval was not required for this study. Results: Eighty-six patients underwent surgical appendectomy for AA between February 20th, 2020 and April 20th, 2020; 32.5% were complicated appendicitis and 67.5% were uncomplicated. Fifty-three patients were males and 33 were females. Patients' age ranged from 3 to 17 years and the median age was 10 years. The median time between the onset of symptoms and the admission in PED was 1.85 days. The average time between the symptom onset and PED admission was 1.8 days. Conclusions: Although fear from the COVID-19 pandemic determined a delayed diagnosis of serious pediatric diseases, the increasing prevalence and severity of AA were not demonstrated in the most COVID-19-affected areas of Italy.
AB - Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has dramatically changed the routine activities of pediatric surgical centers, and it determined the reduction of admissions in the pediatric emergency departments (PED). We reviewed the records of patients affected by acute appendicitis (AA) during the COVID-19 pandemic period in a large Italian COVID-19 pandemic area. Methods: Data regarding demographics, age, macroscopic and microscopic findings, and time between symptom onset and PED admission of patients affected by confirmed AA in the period between March and April 2020 were considered. The data were compared with those obtained during the same period of 2019, 2018, and 2017 in the included centers. Data were quoted as median (range) or absolute number. Non-parametric statistical tests were used to compare groups. A p ≤ 0.05 was regarded as significant. Since only anonymous data have been used and the data storage meets current data protection regulations, ethical committee approval was not required for this study. Results: Eighty-six patients underwent surgical appendectomy for AA between February 20th, 2020 and April 20th, 2020; 32.5% were complicated appendicitis and 67.5% were uncomplicated. Fifty-three patients were males and 33 were females. Patients' age ranged from 3 to 17 years and the median age was 10 years. The median time between the onset of symptoms and the admission in PED was 1.85 days. The average time between the symptom onset and PED admission was 1.8 days. Conclusions: Although fear from the COVID-19 pandemic determined a delayed diagnosis of serious pediatric diseases, the increasing prevalence and severity of AA were not demonstrated in the most COVID-19-affected areas of Italy.
KW - appendicitis
KW - children
KW - COVID-19
KW - incidence of a disease
KW - pediatric surgery
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U2 - 10.3389/fped.2020.600320
DO - 10.3389/fped.2020.600320
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85098049972
VL - 8
JO - Frontiers in Pediatrics
JF - Frontiers in Pediatrics
SN - 2296-2360
M1 - 600320
ER -