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Citation
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Rusconi F, Di Fabrizio V, Puglia M, Sica M, De Santis R, Masi S, Gagliardi L. Acta Paediatr. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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AIM: To ascertain a delay in attendances to the emergency department (ED) during 2020 lockdown.
METHODS: Area-based cohort study on paediatric (0-15 years) attendances resulting in hospital admission in Tuscany, Italy, in February-May 2020, and the corresponding periods in 2018-19. We analysed times from symptoms onset to arrival, the Odds of arriving late (>90(th) centile of time), and paediatricians' judgments of a late presentation by logistic models.
RESULTS: As expected, ED attendance fell sharply (-62%) in 2020 vs 2018-19. As for cases studied (455 in 2020 and 1161 in 2018-19), we documented a delay in arrival to the ED in 2020 vs 2018-19 for several groups of diagnoses, namely gastroenteritis, sepsis, wounds, burns, and infections overall. Time to presentation over 90(th) centile was also higher in 2020 (Odds Ratio, OR: 1.44; 95% Confidence interval: 1.00, 2.06), as were paediatricians' judgments of a late arrival (18.9% of cases in 2020 vs 13.4% in 2018-19; OR: 1.58; 1.14, 2.19) CONCLUSION: In a population-based cohort, delayed attendances to ED ascertained both subjectively and objectively convey the message to families and to paediatricians to seek hospital care in case of severe or unremitting symptoms, and not to wait longer than they normally would.
Language: en |