SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Impact on Pediatric Emergency Rooms: A Multicenter Study

Luigi Matera, Raffaella Nenna, Valentina Rizzo, Francesca Ardenti Morini, Giuseppe Banderali, Mauro Calvani, Matteo Calvi, Giorgio Cozzi, Elisabetta Fabiani, Raffaele Falsaperla, Ahmad Kantar, Marcello Lanari, Riccardo Lubrano, Beatrice Messini, Antonio Augusto Niccoli, Pietro Scoppi, Vincenzo Tipo and Fabio Midulla
Additional contact information
Luigi Matera: Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
Raffaella Nenna: Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
Valentina Rizzo: Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
Francesca Ardenti Morini: Pediatric Unit, Sant’Eugenio Hospital, 00144 Rome, Italy
Giuseppe Banderali: Department of Clinical Paediatrics, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, 20142 Milan, Italy
Mauro Calvani: Operative Unit of Pediatrics, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, 00151 Rome, Italy
Matteo Calvi: Pediatric Emergency Department, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, 24127 Bergamo, Italy
Giorgio Cozzi: Institute for Maternal and Child Health Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
Elisabetta Fabiani: Department of Pediatric Emergency, Gaspare Salesi Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti, 60123 Ancona, Italy
Raffaele Falsaperla: General Pediatrics and Pediatric Acute and Emergency Unit, Vittorio Emanuele University Hospital, 95121 Catania, Italy
Ahmad Kantar: Pediatric Unit, Istituti Ospedalieri Bergamaschi, Gruppo Ospedaliero San Donato, 24059 Ponte San Pietro, Italy
Marcello Lanari: Pediatric Emergency Unit, Scientific Institute for Research and Healthcare, Sant’Orsola Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Riccardo Lubrano: Pediatric Unit, Department of Maternal and Child Health, Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 04100 Latina, Italy
Beatrice Messini: Pediatric Unit, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, 06034 Foligno, Italy
Antonio Augusto Niccoli: Pediatric Unit, Fabrizio Spaziani Hospital, 03100 Frosinone, Italy
Pietro Scoppi: Pediatric Unit, San Matteo degli Infermi Hospital, 06049 Spoleto, Italy
Vincenzo Tipo: Pediatric Emergency Department, Santobono-Pausilipon Hospital, 06049 Napoli, Italy
Fabio Midulla: Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-12

Abstract: From 9 March to 3 May 2020, lockdown was declared in Italy due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Our aim was to evaluate how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and related preventive strategies affected pediatric emergency rooms (ERs) during this period. We performed a retrospective cohort multicenter study, comparing the lockdown period to the corresponding period in 2019. We examined 15 Italian pediatric ERs in terms of visit rates, specific diagnoses (grouped as air communicable diseases and non-air communicable diseases), and triage categories. During the lockdown period, ER admissions decreased by 81% compared to 2019 (52,364 vs. 10,112). All ER specific diagnoses decreased in 2020 and this reduction was significantly higher for air communicable diseases (25,462 vs. 2934, p < 0.001). Considering the triage category, red codes remained similar (1% vs. 1%), yellow codes increased (11.2% vs. 22.3%), and green codes decreased (80.3% vs. 69.5%). We can speculate that social distancing and simple hygiene measures drastically reduced the spread of air communicable diseases. The increase in yellow codes may have been related to a delay in primary care and, consequently, in ER admissions.

Keywords: air communicable infections; emergency rooms; lockdown measures; pediatric; pandemic; SARS-CoV-2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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