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Multicenter Study
. 2020;104(7-8):631-636.
doi: 10.1159/000508512. Epub 2020 May 20.

Urology in the Time of Coronavirus: Reduced Access to Urgent and Emergent Urological Care during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak in Italy

Angelo Porreca  1 , Michele Colicchia  2 , Daniele D'Agostino  1 , Michele Amenta  3 , Alfio Corsaro  3 , Stefano Zaramella  4 , Luisa Zegna  4 , Fabrizio Gallo  5 , Maurizio Schenone  5 , Giorgio Bozzini  6 , Alberto Calori  6 , Antonio L Pastore  7 , Yazan Al Salhi  7 , Carmine Sciorio  8 , Lorenzo Spirito  8 , Virginia Varca  9 , Carlo Marenghi  9 , Francesco Greco  10 , Vincenzo M Altieri  10 , Paolo Verze  11 , Ciro Barba  11 , Alessandro Antonelli  12 , Maria A Cerruto  12 , Roberto Falabella  13 , Silvana Di Bello  14 , Costantino Leonardo  15 , Antonio Tufano  15 , Alessandro Volpe  16 , Paolo Umari  16 , Paolo Parma  17 , Mattia Nidini  17 , Giovannalberto Pini  18 , Marco Borghesi  19 , Carlo Terrone  19 , Giovanni E Cacciamani  20 , Maria C Sighinolfi  21 , Gian Maria Busetto  22 , Alexandra M Wennberg  23 , Marinella Finocchiaro  24 , Mario Falsaperla  24 , Marco Oderda  25 , Carlo Ceruti  25 , Bernardo Rocco  21 , Riccardo Schiavina  26 , Lorenzo Bianchi  26 , Andrea Mari  27 , Fabrizio Di Maida  27 , Orietta Dalpiaz  28 , Antonio Celia  29 , Marco Pirozzi  29 , Pierluigi Bove  30 , Valerio Iacovelli  30 , Angelo Cafarelli  31 , Luca Cindolo  32 , Giovanni Ferrari  33 , Lorenzo Gatti  33 , Giacomo Pirola  34 , Filippo Annino  34 , Luigi Pucci  35 , Daniele Romagnoli  1 , Walter Artibani  1 , Andrea Minervini  27
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Urology in the Time of Coronavirus: Reduced Access to Urgent and Emergent Urological Care during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak in Italy

Angelo Porreca et al. Urol Int. 2020.

Abstract

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put a substantial burden on the Italian healthcare system, resulting in the restructuring of hospitals to care for COVID-19 patients. However, this has likely impacted access to care for patients experiencing other conditions. We aimed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on access to care for patients with urgent/emergent urological conditions throughout Italy.

Materials and methods: A questionnaire was sent to 33 urological units in the AGILE consortium, asking clinicians to report on the number of urgent/emergent urological patients seen and/or undergoing surgery over a 3-week period during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak and a reference week prior to the outbreak. ANOVA and linear regression models were used to quantify these changes.

Results: Data from 27 urological centres in Italy showed a decrease from 956 patients/week seen just prior to the outbreak to 291 patients/week seen by the end of the study period. There was a difference in the number of patients with urgent/emergent urological disease seen within/during the different weeks (all p values < 0.05). A significant decrease in the number of patients presenting with haematuria, urinary retention, urinary tract infection, scrotal pain, renal colic, or trauma and urgent/emergent cases that required surgery was reported (all p values < 0.05).

Conclusion: In Italy, during the COVID-19 outbreak there has been a decrease in patients seeking help for urgent/emergent urological conditions. Restructuring of hospitals and clinics is mandatory to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the healthcare system should continue to provide adequate levels of care also to patients with other conditions.

Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; Italy; Outbreak; Urological care.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
E-mail questionnaire sent to the participating urological departments and centers. URS, ureteroscopy.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Trend of overall urgent and emergent urological cases.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Trend with fit line of urgent and emergent surgical urological cases.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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