Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on hospital admission for endoscopy unit; single center study

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in exceptional human, public, and economic impacts worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on hospital admission for endoscopy unit during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 in com-parison to similar periods in non COVID-19, 2019. Methods: Data from endoscopy unit (between 1st April to the end of June 2020 were collected and compared to a similar pre-COVID-19period in 2019 as regards, hospitalization rate and endoscopy indication. Result: Compared with non COVID-19 period in 2019, there was a significant reduction during the similar period of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as regards; total number of patients who were admitted to endoscopy unit (p < 0.0001), admittion for diagnostic endoscopy due to persistent abdominal pain (14.76% versus 17.81%, p < 0.0001) and follow up band ligation of esophageal varices (48.70% Vs 50.52, p < 0.0001). No significant change between both studied times as regards hospital admission due to gastrointestinal bleeding (25.38% Vs 23.89, p= 0.51) and foreign body swallows. Admitted patients had a similar gender distribution in both studied periods (p= 0.61). In comparison to non COVID-19 times, the majority of admitted patients during pandemic time of COVID 19 were younger than 60 years (65.68% Vs 39.20%, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Our result demonstrated a significantly lower admission rate for endoscopy during pandemic time of COVID-19 in comparison to similar non pandemic time in 2019, however, hospitalization for urgent endoscopy dose not affected by pandemic time especially for upper gastrointestinal bleeding, suspected malign-ancy and foreign body swallows.