TY - JOUR
T1 - Disruption of bone densitometry practice in a Northern Italy Orthopedic Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic
AU - Messina, C.
AU - Buzzoni, A. C.
AU - Gitto, S.
AU - Almolla, J.
AU - Albano, D.
AU - Sconfienza, L. M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Abstract: Summary: We report the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bone densitometry practice in a Northern Italy Orthopedic Hospital, comparing the first 4 months of 2020 with the corresponding period of 2019. COVID-19 pandemic had a disruptive effect on the daily practice of bone densitometry (about − 50% of examinations). Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic radically changes hospital organization to guarantee patient and staff safety, with the unavoidable cessation of normal outpatient activities. We report the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) testing in a Northern Italy Orthopedic Hospital. Methods: We analyzed the number of DXA examinations performed at our Institution before, during the lockdown, and immediately after outpatient practice reopening (January 24th to May 27th, 2020), comparing them with the corresponding period of 2019. Results: The number of DXA examinations showed a tremendous reduction from n = 1247 performed from January to May 2019 to n = 623 of 2020 (− 49.9%). No exams were performed in April 2020 (− 100%). On May 2020, a faint resume was observed, with n = 43 DXA (− 84.4% compared to 2019). Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic had a disruptive effect on the daily practice of bone densitometry with DXA. After reopening, we observed a persistence of DXA examination reduction, confirming the fact that returning to normality will probably be a slow process.
AB - Abstract: Summary: We report the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bone densitometry practice in a Northern Italy Orthopedic Hospital, comparing the first 4 months of 2020 with the corresponding period of 2019. COVID-19 pandemic had a disruptive effect on the daily practice of bone densitometry (about − 50% of examinations). Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic radically changes hospital organization to guarantee patient and staff safety, with the unavoidable cessation of normal outpatient activities. We report the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) testing in a Northern Italy Orthopedic Hospital. Methods: We analyzed the number of DXA examinations performed at our Institution before, during the lockdown, and immediately after outpatient practice reopening (January 24th to May 27th, 2020), comparing them with the corresponding period of 2019. Results: The number of DXA examinations showed a tremendous reduction from n = 1247 performed from January to May 2019 to n = 623 of 2020 (− 49.9%). No exams were performed in April 2020 (− 100%). On May 2020, a faint resume was observed, with n = 43 DXA (− 84.4% compared to 2019). Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic had a disruptive effect on the daily practice of bone densitometry with DXA. After reopening, we observed a persistence of DXA examination reduction, confirming the fact that returning to normality will probably be a slow process.
KW - Bone
KW - COVID-19
KW - Disruption
KW - Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry
KW - DXA
KW - Pandemic
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U2 - 10.1007/s00198-020-05587-7
DO - 10.1007/s00198-020-05587-7
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85089248594
VL - 32
SP - 199
EP - 203
JO - Osteoporosis International
JF - Osteoporosis International
SN - 0937-941X
IS - 1
ER -