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Rakusa M, Moro E, Akhvlediani T, Bereczki D, Bodini B, Cavallieri F, Fanciulli A, Filipović SR, Guekht A, Helbok R, Hochmeister S, Martinelli Boneschi F, Özturk S, Priori A, Romoli M, Willekens B, Zedde M, Sellner J. The COVID-19 pandemic and neurology: A survey on previous and continued restrictions for clinical practice, curricular training, and health economics. Eur J Neurol 2024; 31:e16168. [PMID: 38038262 PMCID: PMC11235678 DOI: 10.1111/ene.16168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted health systems worldwide. Here, we assessed the pandemic's impact on clinical service, curricular training, and financial burden from a neurological viewpoint during the enforced lockdown periods and the assumed recovery by 2023. METHODS An online 18-item survey was conducted by the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force among the EAN community. The survey was online between February and March 2023. Questions related to general, demographic, clinical, work, education, and economic aspects. RESULTS We collected 430 responses from 79 countries. Most health care professionals were aged 35-44 years, with >15 years of work experience. The key findings of their observations were as follows. (i) Clinical services were cut back in all neurological subspecialties during the most restrictive COVID-19 lockdown period. The most affected neurological subspecialties were services for patients with dementia, and neuromuscular and movement disorders. The levels of reduction and the pace of recovery were distinct for acute emergencies and in- and outpatient care. Recovery was slow for sleep medicine, autonomic nervous system disorders, neurorehabilitation, and dementia care. (ii) Student and residency rotations and grand rounds were reorganized, and congresses were converted into a virtual format. Conferences are partly maintained in a hybrid format. (iii) Affordability of neurological care and medication shortage are emerging issues. CONCLUSIONS Recovery of neurological services up to spring 2023 has been incomplete following substantial disruption of neurological care, medical education, and health economics in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The continued limitations for the delivery of neurological care threaten brain health and call for action on a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Rakusa
- Division of NeurologyUniversity Medical Centre MariborMariborSlovenia
| | - Elena Moro
- Division of Neurology, CHU of Grenoble, Grenoble Institute of Neurosciences, INSERM U1216Grenoble Alpes UniversityGrenobleFrance
| | | | | | - Benedetta Bodini
- Neurology DepartmentSt. Antoine Hospital, APHPParisFrance
- Paris Brain Institute, ICM, CNRS, INSERMSorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Francesco Cavallieri
- Neurology Unit, Neuromotor and Rehabilitation DepartmentAzienda USL‐IRCCS di Reggio EmiliaReggio EmiliaItaly
| | | | | | - Alla Guekht
- Research and Clinical Center for NeuropsychiatryMoscowRussian Federation
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical UniversityMoscowRussian Federation
| | - Raimund Helbok
- Department of NeurologyJohannes Kepler UniversityLinzAustria
| | | | | | - Serefnur Özturk
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of MedicineSelcuk UniversityKonyaTurkey
| | - Alberto Priori
- Aldo Ravelli Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health SciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
- Clinical Neurology Unit, Azienda Socio‐Sanitaria Territoriale Santi Paolo e Carlo and Department of Health SciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | - Michele Romoli
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Department of NeuroscienceBufalini HospitalCesenaItaly
| | - Barbara Willekens
- Department of NeurologyAntwerp University HospitalEdegemBelgium
- Translational Neurosciences Research GroupUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
| | - Marialuisa Zedde
- Neurology Unit, Stroke UnitAzienda Unità Sanitaria Locale, IRCCS di Reggio EmiliaReggio EmiliaItaly
| | - Johann Sellner
- Department of NeurologyLandesklinkum Mistelbach‐GänserndorfMistelbachAustria
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Keetley R, Manning JC, Williams J, Stewart I, Radford K. Child and family health-related quality of life and participation outcomes and goals after acquired brain injury: a cross-sectional survey. Brain Inj 2024; 38:217-226. [PMID: 38363813 DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2024.2309244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore longer-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and participation outcomes and goals of children and young people (CYP) with acquired brain injuries (ABI) and their families in a region of the UK and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Cross-sectional survey of (5-18 CYP) and their parent-carers 12-43 months following ABI. Included measures of HRQoL, participation, family function and parental wellbeing and demographic and free text questions. RESULTS Ninety-five responses (30% response) were received. 67% of CYP were at risk of impaired HRQoL, 72% had severely impaired participation. 53% of parent-carers reported reduced HRQoL and family functioning, 37% of parent-carers screened positive for anxiety/depression. Relationships exist between CYP participation and HRQoL and parental HRQoL and family functioning. Goals were overwhelmingly activity and participation focused. Participants described the global impact of an ABI on the CYP and family as well as the additional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CYP and family wellbeing. CONCLUSION ABI significantly impacts CYP participation and both CYP and parent-carer wellbeing in the long-term, potentially further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rehabilitation interventions should address both participation and the psychological wellbeing of CYP with ABI and their parent-carers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Keetley
- Centre of Rehabilitation and Ageing Research, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Nottingham Children's Hospital, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, England
| | - Joseph C Manning
- Nottingham Children's Hospital, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, England
- School of Healthcare, University of Leicester, Leicestershire, England
| | - Jane Williams
- Nottingham Children's Hospital, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, England
| | - Iain Stewart
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, England
| | - Kathryn Radford
- Centre of Rehabilitation and Ageing Research, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Agoston DV. Traumatic Brain Injury in the Long-COVID Era. Neurotrauma Rep 2024; 5:81-94. [PMID: 38463416 PMCID: PMC10923549 DOI: 10.1089/neur.2023.0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Major determinants of the biological background or reserve, such as age, biological sex, comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc.), and medications (e.g., anticoagulants), are known to affect outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI). With the unparalleled data richness of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; ∼375,000 and counting!) as well as the chronic form, long-COVID, also called post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), publications (∼30,000 and counting) covering virtually every aspect of the diseases, pathomechanisms, biomarkers, disease phases, symptomatology, etc., have provided a unique opportunity to better understand and appreciate the holistic nature of diseases, interconnectivity between organ systems, and importance of biological background in modifying disease trajectories and affecting outcomes. Such a holistic approach is badly needed to better understand TBI-induced conditions in their totality. Here, I briefly review what is known about long-COVID/PASC, its underlying-suspected-pathologies, the pathobiological changes induced by TBI, in other words, the TBI endophenotypes, discuss the intersection of long-COVID/PASC and TBI-induced pathobiologies, and how by considering some of the known factors affecting the person's biological background and the inclusion of mechanistic molecular biomarkers can help to improve the clinical management of TBI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denes V. Agoston
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Wimmer Del Solar J, Rojas-Líbano D, Bastías Barra P, Cisternas Vera C, Chávez Martel P, Rozas Vidal JP, Rodríguez IP, Fontecilla Villalobos E. Epidemiology of Work-Related Traumatic Brain Injury and COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown Consequences: Experience in a Reference Center in Chile. J Occup Environ Med 2023; 65:1045-1050. [PMID: 37705398 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Work-related traumatic brain injury is a frequent cause of chronic morbidity, mortality, and high treatment costs. Its causes are highly environmentally determined and were affected by COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. OBJECTIVE We aimed to describe traumatic brain injury (TBI) epidemiology in working population and evaluate its modifications during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We performed a 2-year retrospective epidemiological analysis of TBI patients hospitalized in a tertiary work-related hospital before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS In the prepandemic period, TBI patients were predominantly men, with a bimodal age distribution. Crash accidents were the leading work-related traumatic brain injury cause. During COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, there was a positive correlation between street traffic and TBI rate, presenting increased motor crash accidents as a cause of TBI. CONCLUSIONS These results are relevant for planning and focalization of resources for TBI prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Wimmer Del Solar
- From the Departamento de Neurología, Hospital del Trabajador, Asociación Chilena de Seguridad, Santiago, Chile (J.W.D.S., P.B.B., P.C.M., J.P.R.V., P.I.R., E.F.V.); Departamento de Neurología, Clínica Meds, Santiago, Chile (J.W.D.S.); Programa de Especialidades Médicas en Neurología, Escuela de Postgrado, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile (J.W.D.S.); Centro de Estudios en Neurociencia Humana y Neuropsicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile (D.R.-L.); Programa de Especialidades Médicas en Fisiatría, Escuela de Postgrado, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile (C.C.V.); and Hospital Clínico de la Fuerza Aérea de Chile (FACh), General Dr. Raúl Yazigi J., Santiago, Chile (P.B.B.)
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ElSaban M, Bhatt G, Lee J, Koshiya H, Mansoor T, Amal T, Kashyap R. A historical delve into neurotrauma-focused critical care. Wien Med Wochenschr 2023; 173:368-373. [PMID: 36729341 PMCID: PMC9892675 DOI: 10.1007/s10354-022-01002-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Neurocritical care is a multidisciplinary field managing patients with a wide range of aliments. Specifically, neurotrauma is a rapidly growing field with increasing demands. The history of how neurotrauma management came to its current form has not been extensively explored before. Our review delves into the history, timeline, and noteworthy pioneers of neurotrauma-focused neurocritical care. We explore the historical development during early times, the 18th-20th centuries, and modern times, as well as warfare- and sports-related concussions. Research is ever growing in this budding field, with several promising innovations on the horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam ElSaban
- Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN USA
| | - Gaurang Bhatt
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, India
| | - Joanna Lee
- David Tvildiani Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Hiren Koshiya
- Department of Hematology & Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, USA Florida
| | | | - Tanya Amal
- Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India
| | - Rahul Kashyap
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN USA
- Medical director research, WellSpan Health, New York, PA USA
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Wang CY, Petriello M, Chou J, Zorowitz RD. Comparison of Functional Outcomes After Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation After Acquired Brain Injury Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2023; 102:896-900. [PMID: 37026824 DOI: 10.1097/phm.0000000000002243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to characterize and compare functional outcomes of acquired brain injury patients in an inpatient rehabilitation facility in the year before (April 2019-March 2020) and during the first year (April 2020-March 2021) of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the most drastic changes in the delivery of health care occurred. DESIGN In this retrospective single-center chart review study, functional outcomes, based on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument, were obtained and analyzed for patients in acute inpatient rehabilitation with acquired brain injury. RESULTS Data from 1330 patients were included for analysis. Functional outcomes of average self-care, bed mobility, and transfer scores were statistically, but not clinically, different between groups. More patients in the pandemic group were discharged home (prepandemic n = 454 [65.4%]; pandemic n = 461 [72.6%]; P = 0.011), although they had significantly longer lengths of stay (prepandemic median = 14.0 [interquartile range = 9.0-23.0]; pandemic = 16.0 [10.0-23.0]; P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS Despite the impact of hospital policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, similar functional outcomes were obtained for those with acquired brain injury after inpatient rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Yunjae Wang
- From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Georgetown University/Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital, Washington, DC (CYW, MP); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Lifebridge Health: Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland (CYW); Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California (MP); Center of Biostatistics, Informatics and Data Science (CBIDS), Medstar Health Research Institute, Hyattsville, Maryland (JC); Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC (RDZ); and MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, Washington, DC (RDZ)
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Ugur ZB, Molina Pérez A. The toll of COVID-19 on organ donation and kidney transplantation in Europe: Do legislative defaults matter? Health Policy 2023; 136:104890. [PMID: 37573724 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2023.104890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the cascading effects of COVID-19 pandemic on organ donation and transplantation in Europe. We also check whether legislative defaults for organ donation have a role in these outcomes. For this purpose, we used data from 32 European countries, between 2010 and 2021, and estimated pooled OLS regressions. We find that COVID-19 pandemic reduced deceased organ donation rates by 23.4%, deceased kidney transplantation rates by 27.9% and live kidney transplantation rates by 31.1% after accounting for health system capacity indicators. While our study finds that presumed consent legislation under normal circumstances leads to notable benefits in terms of deceased kidney transplantation and organ donation rates, the legislative defaults did not have a significant impact during the pandemic. Additionally, our findings indicate a trade-off between living and deceased transplantation that is influenced by the legislative default.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep B Ugur
- Department of Economics, Social Sciences University of Ankara, Ulus, Ankara C421, Turkey.
| | - Alberto Molina Pérez
- Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Institute of Advanced Social Studies, Córdoba, Spain
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Zanin L, Ius T, Panciani PP, Esposito F, Gori A, Fontanella MM, Tropeano MP, Raco A, Angileri FF, Sabatino G, Olivi A, Esposito V, Pessina F. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on surgical neuro-oncology: A survey from the Italian society of neurosurgery (SINch). World Neurosurg X 2023; 20:100233. [PMID: 37456685 PMCID: PMC10289824 DOI: 10.1016/j.wnsx.2023.100233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on hospitals' activity and organization has imposed a vast change in standard neurosurgical oncology practice to accommodate for shifting resources. Aims This investigation aims to analyse the nationwide capability in reorganizing the surgical neuro-oncological activity during the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate whether COVID-19-pandemic influenced the surgical management in these patients. Method A web-based dataset model organized by the Italian Neurosurgical Society (SINCh) was sent to all the Italian neurosurgical departments in May 2021, requesting to report the types and numbers of surgical procedures performed in the pre-pandemic period (from March 9th 2019 to March 9th 2020) compared to the pandemic period (from March 10th 2020 to March 10th 2021). Results This multicentre investigation included the surgical activity of 35 Italian Neurosurgical Departments in a pre-pandemic year versus a pandemic year. During the COVID period, 699 fewer neuro-oncological patients were operated on than in the pre-COVID period. We noted a slight increase in urgency and a more severe decrease in elective and benign pathology. None of these differences was statistically significant. Surgically treated patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were 36, of which 11 died. Death was found to be COVID-related only in 2 cases. Conclusion The reorganization of the Italian Neurosurgical Departments was able to guarantee a redistribution of the CNS tumors during the inter-pandemic periods, demonstrating that patients even in the pandemic era could be treated without compromising the efficacy and safety of the surgical procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Zanin
- Neurosurgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Tamara Ius
- Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Santa Maria Della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy
| | - Pier Paolo Panciani
- Neurosurgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Felice Esposito
- Department of Neurosciences and Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Gori
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza 35, 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Maria Fontanella
- Neurosurgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Tropeano
- Neurosurgical Department-Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Mi, Italy
- Humanitas University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20090, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonino Raco
- Division of Neurosurgery, AOU Sant’Andrea, Department of NESMOS, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Sabatino
- Institute of Neurosurgery, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
- Division of Neurosurgery, Mater Olbia Hospital, Olbia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Olivi
- Institute of Neurosurgery, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Esposito
- Department of Neurosurgery "Giampaolo Cantore"-IRCSS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
- Department of Human Neurosciences-"Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Pessina
- Neurosurgical Department-Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Mi, Italy
- Humanitas University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20090, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
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Bibi A, Murtaza G. Positive impacts of COVID-19 on social life and environment. J Family Med Prim Care 2023; 12:2188-2189. [PMID: 38024871 PMCID: PMC10657092 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_521_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Bibi
- Department of Zoology, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Ghulam Murtaza
- Department of Zoology, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
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Leiphart TJ, Leiphart J. The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown on Operative Traumatic Brain Injury in Northern Virginia. Cureus 2023; 15:e44746. [PMID: 37680260 PMCID: PMC10480358 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.44746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19 is a disease that causes flu-like symptoms and difficulty breathing. Emerging in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire world through restrictions and lockdowns. Multiple studies have compared the effects of COVID-19 on different types of head trauma, with each one producing different results. The goal of this study was to use state and hospital data to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on surgeries for traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS Public state data on COVID-19 incidence, sourced from the Virginia Department of Health, was compared to hospital data of 352 patients receiving surgeries for TBI from a single major level-one trauma hospital in Northern Virginia. We used data from the three years before COVID-19 and the two years during the pandemic, using t-tests and Pearson correlation to analyze the data. This is a retrospective case review study on the number and age of patients receiving TBI surgery from March 2017 through February 2022 at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Northern Virginia to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these factors. RESULTS When comparing the data, there was a 60% reduction in cases of operative TBI during the peak months of COVID-19 compared to the same months in previous years (p<0.005). Comparing data on the number of Virginia and Northern Virginia COVID-19 cases and data on the age of individuals undergoing TBI surgery four weeks later showed a statistically significant negative correlation (p<0.05) in which the average age of individuals undergoing TBI surgery was lower in the four-week block following a four-week block of increased COVID-19 incidence. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate a correlation between the period of decreased activity from COVID-19 restrictions in Virginia and a decline in both the number of TBI surgeries and the age of individuals undergoing these surgeries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaddeus J Leiphart
- Neurosurgery, Inova Health System, Falls Church, USA
- Biology, St. Albans School, Washington, USA
| | - James Leiphart
- Neurosurgery, Inova Health System, Falls Church, USA
- Neurosurgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Falls Church, USA
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Lester A, James Z, Sastin D, Patel C, Jesurasa A, Leach P. Suspected abusive head trauma in children - when do they really need to be transferred to a neurosurgical unit? Br J Neurosurg 2023:1-4. [PMID: 37632386 DOI: 10.1080/02688697.2023.2249094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Transferring paediatric patients with suspected abusive head trauma (AHT) to paediatric neurosurgical centres, disrupts safeguarding investigations. Therefore, it is desirable that suspected AHTs are transferred only when clinically necessary. The aim of this study was to describe referral patterns of patients referred to a tertiary paediatric neurosurgical centre with suspected AHT, with the view of informing future transfer of AHT patients. DESIGN A retrospective review was performed of all suspected AHT patients referred to the University Hospital of Wales between 2012 and 2021. METHODS Rates of surgery, intubation and ventilation, radiological findings and presenting GCS were compared between referred patients and those transferred for neurosurgical care. Variables were compared between the transferred and the non-transferred groups. For categorical variables, Chi-squared tests were performed, with Fisher's exact test used where the expected count was less than 5. Odds ratios (OR) for neurosurgical transfer with radiological or clinical features at presentation were calculated. RESULTS A total of 76 patients were referred, of which 18 were transferred for neurosurgical care. Of these, six were intubated and ventilated. Only one transferred patient required surgery, with the remainder receiving supportive care. Amongst the transferred group, 77.8% had SDHs and 68.6% had a GCS ≥ 13 at presentation. Patients with a GCS ≥ 13 and SDHs, bilateral haematomas or a history of vomiting were significantly more likely to be transferred (OR = 4.27, 95%CI 1.01-18.00, p = .05). CONCLUSIONS Most transferred patients with suspected AHT did not receive surgical intervention. We suggest that patients should be transferred when it is likely that they will require surgery, otherwise they should stay locally in order to complete their safeguarding investigations. Immediate transfer may not be necessary for AHT patients with a GCS ≥ 13 and either vomiting, SDHs or bilateral haematomas, provided they are unlikely to require emergency surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aled Lester
- Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK
| | - Zoe James
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Dmitri Sastin
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Chirag Patel
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Anthony Jesurasa
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Paul Leach
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
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Chua KSG, Kwan HX, Teo WS, Cao RX, Heng CP, Ratha Krishnan R. Changing Epidemiology and Functional Outcomes of Inpatient Rehabilitation in Asian Traumatic Brain Injury Cases before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1475. [PMID: 37511850 PMCID: PMC10381117 DOI: 10.3390/life13071475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to compare acute injury and rehabilitation characteristics for traumatic brain injury (TBI) inpatients during the pre and post COVID-19 pandemic periods. METHODS A retrospective study of TBI inpatients between 1 April 2018 and 31 December 2019 (pre COVID-19 period), and 1 July 2020 and 31 March 2022 (post COVID-19 period) was performed to compare demographics, premorbid comorbidity, TBI characteristics, rehabilitation complications, admission and discharge functional independence measure (FIM®), length of stay and discharge status. RESULTS A total of 187 data sets were analyzed (82 pre COVID-19 and 105 post COVID-19). Post COVID-19 TBI inpatients were older by 11 years (pre COVID-19 mean 55 years vs. post COVID-19 mean 66 years, and p < 0.001), with 23% higher female inpatients (pre COVID-19 13.4% vs. post COVID-19 36.2%, and p < 0.001) and 25% higher presence of comorbidities (pre COVID-19 52.4% vs. post COVID-19 77.1%, and p < 0.001). In the post COVID-19 group, total discharge FIM (Td-FIM) was significantly lower by ~12 points (pre COVID-19 94.5 vs. post COVID-19 82, and p = 0.011), Td-FIM ≥ 91 was lower by ~18% (pre COVID-19 53.7% vs. post COVID-19 36.2%, and p = 0.017), and the need for caregivers increased by ~17% (pre COVID-19 68% vs. post COVID-19 85.4%, and p = 0.006) Conclusions: Our findings signal a demographic shift towards older, frailer TBI with lower functional independence levels post COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Sui Geok Chua
- Institute of Rehabilitation Excellence (IREx), Tan Tock Seng Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Singapore 569766, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 636921, Singapore
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Hui Xuan Kwan
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 636921, Singapore
| | - Wee Shen Teo
- Institute of Rehabilitation Excellence (IREx), Tan Tock Seng Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Singapore 569766, Singapore
| | - Ruo Xi Cao
- Institute of Rehabilitation Excellence (IREx), Tan Tock Seng Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Singapore 569766, Singapore
| | - Choon Pooh Heng
- Clinical Research and Innovation Office, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore 308433, Singapore
| | - Rathi Ratha Krishnan
- Institute of Rehabilitation Excellence (IREx), Tan Tock Seng Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Singapore 569766, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 636921, Singapore
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
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13
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Johnson RA, Eaton A, Tignanelli CJ, Carrabre KJ, Gerges C, Yang GL, Hemmila MR, Ngwenya LB, Wright JM, Parr AM. Changes in patterns of traumatic brain injury in the Michigan Trauma Quality Improvement Program database early in the COVID-19 pandemic. J Neurosurg 2023; 138:465-475. [PMID: 35901671 DOI: 10.3171/2022.5.jns22244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The authors' objective was to investigate the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on hospital presentation and process of care for the treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Improved understanding of these effects will inform sociopolitical and hospital policies in response to future pandemics. METHODS The Michigan Trauma Quality Improvement Program (MTQIP) database, which contains data from 36 level I and II trauma centers in Michigan and Minnesota, was queried to identify patients who sustained TBI on the basis of head/neck Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) codes during the periods of March 13 through July 2 of 2017-2019 (pre-COVID-19 period) and March 13, 2020, through July 2, 2020 (COVID-19 period). Analyses were performed to detect differences in incidence, patient characteristics, injury severity, and outcomes. RESULTS There was an 18% decrease in the rate of encounters with TBI in the first 8 weeks (March 13 through May 7), followed by a 16% increase during the last 8 weeks (May 8 through July 2), of our COVID-19 period compared with the pre-COVID-19 period. Cumulatively, there was no difference in the rates of encounters with TBI between the COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 periods. Severity of TBI, as measured with maximum AIS score for the head/neck region and Glasgow Coma Scale score, was also similar between periods. During the COVID-19 period, a greater proportion of patients with TBI presented more than a day after sustaining their injuries (p = 0.046). COVID-19 was also associated with a doubling in the decubitus ulcer rate from 1.0% to 2.1% (p = 0.002) and change in the distribution of discharge status (p = 0.01). Multivariable analysis showed no differences in odds of death/hospice discharge, intensive care unit stay of at least a day, or need for a ventilator for at least a day between the COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 periods. CONCLUSIONS During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of patients who presented with TBI was initially lower than in the years 2017-2019 prior to the pandemic. However, there was a subsequent increase in the rate of encounters with TBI, resulting in overall similar rates of TBI between March 13 through July 2 during the COVID-19 period and during the pre-COVID-19 period. The COVID-19 cohort was also associated with negative impacts on time to presentation, rate of decubitus ulcers, and discharge with supervision. Policies in response to future pandemics must consider the resources necessary to care for patients with TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reid A Johnson
- 1University of Minnesota Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Anne Eaton
- 2Division of Biostatistics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Christopher J Tignanelli
- 3Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.,4Institute for Health Informatics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Kailey J Carrabre
- 1University of Minnesota Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Christina Gerges
- 5Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - George L Yang
- 6Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Mark R Hemmila
- 7Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and
| | - Laura B Ngwenya
- 6Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - James M Wright
- 5Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Ann M Parr
- 8Department of Neurosurgery, Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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14
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Phyland RK, McKay A, Olver J, Walterfang M, Hopwood M, Ponsford M, Ponsford JL. Use of Olanzapine to Treat Agitation in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Series of N-of-One Trials. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:33-51. [PMID: 35833454 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Agitation is common during post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is associated with risk of harm to patients and caregivers. Antipsychotics are frequently used to manage agitation in early TBI recovery despite limited evidence to support their efficacy, safety, and impact upon patient outcomes. The sedating and cognitive side effects of these agents are theorized to exacerbate confusion during PTA, leading to prolonged PTA duration and increased agitation. This study, conducted in a subacute inpatient rehabilitation setting, describes the results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigating the efficacy of olanzapine for agitation management during PTA, analyzed as an n-of-1 series. Group comparisons were additionally conducted, examining level of agitation; number of agitated days; agitation at discharge, duration, and depth of PTA; length of hospitalization; cognitive outcome; adverse events; and rescue medication use. Eleven agitated participants in PTA (mean [M] age = 39.82 years, standard deviation [SD] = 20.06; mean time post-injury = 46.09 days, SD = 32.75) received oral olanzapine (n = 5) or placebo (n = 6) for the duration of PTA, beginning at a dose of 5 mg/day and titrated every 3 to 4 days to a maximum dose of 20 mg/day. All participants received recommended environmental management for agitation. A significant decrease in agitation with moderate to very large effect (Tau-U effect size = 0.37-0.86) was observed for three of five participants receiving olanzapine, while no significant reduction in agitation over the PTA period was observed for any participant receiving placebo. Effective olanzapine dose ranged from 5-20 mg. Response to treatment was characterized by lower level of agitation and response to treatment within 3 days. In group analyses, participants receiving olanzapine demonstrated poorer orientation and memory during PTA with large effect size (olanzapine, mean = 9.32, SD = 0.69; placebo, M = 10.68, SD = 0.30; p = .009, d = -2.16), and a trend toward longer PTA duration with large effect size (olanzapine, M = 71.96 days, SD = 20.31; placebo, M = 47.50 days, SD = 11.27; p = 0.072, d = 1.26). No further group comparisons were statistically significant. These results suggest that olanzapine can be effective in reducing agitation during PTA, but not universally so. Importantly, administration of olanzapine during PTA may lead to increased patient confusion, possibly prolonging PTA. When utilizing olanzapine, physicians must therefore balance the possible advantages of agitation management with the possibility that the patient may never respond to the medication and may experience increased confusion, longer PTA and potentially poorer outcomes. Further high-quality research is required to support these findings and the efficacy and outcomes associated with the use of any pharmacological agent for the management of agitation during the PTA period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby K Phyland
- Monash Epworth Rehabilitation Research Center, Melbourne, Australia.,Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne Australia
| | - Adam McKay
- Monash Epworth Rehabilitation Research Center, Melbourne, Australia.,Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne Australia.,Division of Rehabilitation and Mental Health, Epworth HealthCare, Melbourne, Australia
| | - John Olver
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Epworth HealthCare, Melbourne, Australia.,Epworth Monash Rehabilitation Medicine Research Unit, Epworth HealthCare, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mark Walterfang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.,Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Malcolm Hopwood
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Albert Road Clinic Professorial Psychiatry Unit, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael Ponsford
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Epworth HealthCare, Melbourne, Australia.,Epworth Monash Rehabilitation Medicine Research Unit, Epworth HealthCare, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jennie L Ponsford
- Monash Epworth Rehabilitation Research Center, Melbourne, Australia.,Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne Australia
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15
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Maas AIR, Menon DK, Manley GT, Abrams M, Åkerlund C, Andelic N, Aries M, Bashford T, Bell MJ, Bodien YG, Brett BL, Büki A, Chesnut RM, Citerio G, Clark D, Clasby B, Cooper DJ, Czeiter E, Czosnyka M, Dams-O’Connor K, De Keyser V, Diaz-Arrastia R, Ercole A, van Essen TA, Falvey É, Ferguson AR, Figaji A, Fitzgerald M, Foreman B, Gantner D, Gao G, Giacino J, Gravesteijn B, Guiza F, Gupta D, Gurnell M, Haagsma JA, Hammond FM, Hawryluk G, Hutchinson P, van der Jagt M, Jain S, Jain S, Jiang JY, Kent H, Kolias A, Kompanje EJO, Lecky F, Lingsma HF, Maegele M, Majdan M, Markowitz A, McCrea M, Meyfroidt G, Mikolić A, Mondello S, Mukherjee P, Nelson D, Nelson LD, Newcombe V, Okonkwo D, Orešič M, Peul W, Pisică D, Polinder S, Ponsford J, Puybasset L, Raj R, Robba C, Røe C, Rosand J, Schueler P, Sharp DJ, Smielewski P, Stein MB, von Steinbüchel N, Stewart W, Steyerberg EW, Stocchetti N, Temkin N, Tenovuo O, Theadom A, Thomas I, Espin AT, Turgeon AF, Unterberg A, Van Praag D, van Veen E, Verheyden J, Vyvere TV, Wang KKW, Wiegers EJA, Williams WH, Wilson L, Wisniewski SR, Younsi A, Yue JK, Yuh EL, Zeiler FA, Zeldovich M, Zemek R. Traumatic brain injury: progress and challenges in prevention, clinical care, and research. Lancet Neurol 2022; 21:1004-1060. [PMID: 36183712 PMCID: PMC10427240 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(22)00309-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 221] [Impact Index Per Article: 110.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has the highest incidence of all common neurological disorders, and poses a substantial public health burden. TBI is increasingly documented not only as an acute condition but also as a chronic disease with long-term consequences, including an increased risk of late-onset neurodegeneration. The first Lancet Neurology Commission on TBI, published in 2017, called for a concerted effort to tackle the global health problem posed by TBI. Since then, funding agencies have supported research both in high-income countries (HICs) and in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In November 2020, the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of WHO, passed resolution WHA73.10 for global actions on epilepsy and other neurological disorders, and WHO launched the Decade for Action on Road Safety plan in 2021. New knowledge has been generated by large observational studies, including those conducted under the umbrella of the International Traumatic Brain Injury Research (InTBIR) initiative, established as a collaboration of funding agencies in 2011. InTBIR has also provided a huge stimulus to collaborative research in TBI and has facilitated participation of global partners. The return on investment has been high, but many needs of patients with TBI remain unaddressed. This update to the 2017 Commission presents advances and discusses persisting and new challenges in prevention, clinical care, and research. In LMICs, the occurrence of TBI is driven by road traffic incidents, often involving vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists and pedestrians. In HICs, most TBI is caused by falls, particularly in older people (aged ≥65 years), who often have comorbidities. Risk factors such as frailty and alcohol misuse provide opportunities for targeted prevention actions. Little evidence exists to inform treatment of older patients, who have been commonly excluded from past clinical trials—consequently, appropriate evidence is urgently required. Although increasing age is associated with worse outcomes from TBI, age should not dictate limitations in therapy. However, patients injured by low-energy falls (who are mostly older people) are about 50% less likely to receive critical care or emergency interventions, compared with those injured by high-energy mechanisms, such as road traffic incidents. Mild TBI, defined as a Glasgow Coma sum score of 13–15, comprises most of the TBI cases (over 90%) presenting to hospital. Around 50% of adult patients with mild TBI presenting to hospital do not recover to pre-TBI levels of health by 6 months after their injury. Fewer than 10% of patients discharged after presenting to an emergency department for TBI in Europe currently receive follow-up. Structured follow-up after mild TBI should be considered good practice, and urgent research is needed to identify which patients with mild TBI are at risk for incomplete recovery. The selection of patients for CT is an important triage decision in mild TBI since it allows early identification of lesions that can trigger hospital admission or life-saving surgery. Current decision making for deciding on CT is inefficient, with 90–95% of scanned patients showing no intracranial injury but being subjected to radiation risks. InTBIR studies have shown that measurement of blood-based biomarkers adds value to previously proposed clinical decision rules, holding the potential to improve efficiency while reducing radiation exposure. Increased concentrations of biomarkers in the blood of patients with a normal presentation CT scan suggest structural brain damage, which is seen on MR scanning in up to 30% of patients with mild TBI. Advanced MRI, including diffusion tensor imaging and volumetric analyses, can identify additional injuries not detectable by visual inspection of standard clinical MR images. Thus, the absence of CT abnormalities does not exclude structural damage—an observation relevant to litigation procedures, to management of mild TBI, and when CT scans are insufficient to explain the severity of the clinical condition. Although blood-based protein biomarkers have been shown to have important roles in the evaluation of TBI, most available assays are for research use only. To date, there is only one vendor of such assays with regulatory clearance in Europe and the USA with an indication to rule out the need for CT imaging for patients with suspected TBI. Regulatory clearance is provided for a combination of biomarkers, although evidence is accumulating that a single biomarker can perform as well as a combination. Additional biomarkers and more clinical-use platforms are on the horizon, but cross-platform harmonisation of results is needed. Health-care efficiency would benefit from diversity in providers. In the intensive care setting, automated analysis of blood pressure and intracranial pressure with calculation of derived parameters can help individualise management of TBI. Interest in the identification of subgroups of patients who might benefit more from some specific therapeutic approaches than others represents a welcome shift towards precision medicine. Comparative-effectiveness research to identify best practice has delivered on expectations for providing evidence in support of best practices, both in adult and paediatric patients with TBI. Progress has also been made in improving outcome assessment after TBI. Key instruments have been translated into up to 20 languages and linguistically validated, and are now internationally available for clinical and research use. TBI affects multiple domains of functioning, and outcomes are affected by personal characteristics and life-course events, consistent with a multifactorial bio-psycho-socio-ecological model of TBI, as presented in the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) 2022 report. Multidimensional assessment is desirable and might be best based on measurement of global functional impairment. More work is required to develop and implement recommendations for multidimensional assessment. Prediction of outcome is relevant to patients and their families, and can facilitate the benchmarking of quality of care. InTBIR studies have identified new building blocks (eg, blood biomarkers and quantitative CT analysis) to refine existing prognostic models. Further improvement in prognostication could come from MRI, genetics, and the integration of dynamic changes in patient status after presentation. Neurotrauma researchers traditionally seek translation of their research findings through publications, clinical guidelines, and industry collaborations. However, to effectively impact clinical care and outcome, interactions are also needed with research funders, regulators, and policy makers, and partnership with patient organisations. Such interactions are increasingly taking place, with exemplars including interactions with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Acquired Brain Injury in the UK, the production of the NASEM report in the USA, and interactions with the US Food and Drug Administration. More interactions should be encouraged, and future discussions with regulators should include debates around consent from patients with acute mental incapacity and data sharing. Data sharing is strongly advocated by funding agencies. From January 2023, the US National Institutes of Health will require upload of research data into public repositories, but the EU requires data controllers to safeguard data security and privacy regulation. The tension between open data-sharing and adherence to privacy regulation could be resolved by cross-dataset analyses on federated platforms, with the data remaining at their original safe location. Tools already exist for conventional statistical analyses on federated platforms, however federated machine learning requires further development. Support for further development of federated platforms, and neuroinformatics more generally, should be a priority. This update to the 2017 Commission presents new insights and challenges across a range of topics around TBI: epidemiology and prevention (section 1 ); system of care (section 2 ); clinical management (section 3 ); characterisation of TBI (section 4 ); outcome assessment (section 5 ); prognosis (Section 6 ); and new directions for acquiring and implementing evidence (section 7 ). Table 1 summarises key messages from this Commission and proposes recommendations for the way forward to advance research and clinical management of TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew I R Maas
- Department of Neurosurgery, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - David K Menon
- Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Geoffrey T Manley
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mathew Abrams
- International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Åkerlund
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nada Andelic
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marcel Aries
- Department of Intensive Care, Maastricht UMC, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Tom Bashford
- Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael J Bell
- Critical Care Medicine, Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yelena G Bodien
- Department of Neurology and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin L Brett
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - András Büki
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School; ELKH-PTE Clinical Neuroscience MR Research Group; and Neurotrauma Research Group, Janos Szentagothai Research Centre, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Randall M Chesnut
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Giuseppe Citerio
- School of Medicine and Surgery, Universita Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- NeuroIntensive Care, San Gerardo Hospital, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Monza, Monza, Italy
| | - David Clark
- Brain Physics Lab, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Betony Clasby
- Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - D Jamie Cooper
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Endre Czeiter
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School; ELKH-PTE Clinical Neuroscience MR Research Group; and Neurotrauma Research Group, Janos Szentagothai Research Centre, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Marek Czosnyka
- Brain Physics Lab, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kristen Dams-O’Connor
- Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance and Department of Neurology, Brain Injury Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Véronique De Keyser
- Department of Neurosurgery, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Ramon Diaz-Arrastia
- Department of Neurology and Center for Brain Injury and Repair, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ari Ercole
- Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas A van Essen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center Haaglanden, The Hague, Netherlands
| | - Éanna Falvey
- College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Adam R Ferguson
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anthony Figaji
- Division of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Melinda Fitzgerald
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Sciences, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Brandon Foreman
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Dashiell Gantner
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Guoyi Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine
| | - Joseph Giacino
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin Gravesteijn
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fabian Guiza
- Department and Laboratory of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven and KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Deepak Gupta
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosciences Centre and JPN Apex Trauma Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Mark Gurnell
- Metabolic Research Laboratories, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Juanita A Haagsma
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Flora M Hammond
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Indiana University School of Medicine, Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Gregory Hawryluk
- Section of Neurosurgery, GB1, Health Sciences Centre, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Peter Hutchinson
- Brain Physics Lab, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mathieu van der Jagt
- Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sonia Jain
- Biostatistics Research Center, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Swati Jain
- Brain Physics Lab, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ji-yao Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hope Kent
- Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Angelos Kolias
- Brain Physics Lab, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Erwin J O Kompanje
- Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fiona Lecky
- Centre for Urgent and Emergency Care Research, Health Services Research Section, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Hester F Lingsma
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marc Maegele
- Cologne-Merheim Medical Center, Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, Witten/Herdecke University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marek Majdan
- Institute for Global Health and Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Work, Trnava University, Trnava, Slovakia
| | - Amy Markowitz
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael McCrea
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Geert Meyfroidt
- Department and Laboratory of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven and KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ana Mikolić
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Stefania Mondello
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Pratik Mukherjee
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David Nelson
- Section for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lindsay D Nelson
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Virginia Newcombe
- Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Okonkwo
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Matej Orešič
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Wilco Peul
- Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Dana Pisică
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Neurosurgery, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Polinder
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jennie Ponsford
- Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Louis Puybasset
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, APHP, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Rahul Raj
- Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Chiara Robba
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Policlinico San Martino IRCCS for Oncology and Neuroscience, Genova, Italy, and Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche e Diagnostiche, University of Genoa, Italy
| | - Cecilie Røe
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jonathan Rosand
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - David J Sharp
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Peter Smielewski
- Brain Physics Lab, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Murray B Stein
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Nicole von Steinbüchel
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - William Stewart
- Department of Neuropathology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ewout W Steyerberg
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Nino Stocchetti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Milan University, and Neuroscience ICU, Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Nancy Temkin
- Departments of Neurological Surgery, and Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Olli Tenovuo
- Department of Rehabilitation and Brain Trauma, Turku University Hospital, and Department of Neurology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Alice Theadom
- National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, Faculty of Health and Environmental Studies, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ilias Thomas
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Abel Torres Espin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexis F Turgeon
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Université Laval, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Andreas Unterberg
- Department of Neurosurgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dominique Van Praag
- Departments of Clinical Psychology and Neurosurgery, Antwerp University Hospital, and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Ernest van Veen
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Thijs Vande Vyvere
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (MOVANT), Antwerp University Hospital, and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Kevin K W Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Eveline J A Wiegers
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - W Huw Williams
- Centre for Clinical Neuropsychology Research, Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Lindsay Wilson
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Stephen R Wisniewski
- University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alexander Younsi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - John K Yue
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Esther L Yuh
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Frederick A Zeiler
- Departments of Surgery, Human Anatomy and Cell Science, and Biomedical Engineering, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and Price Faculty of Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Marina Zeldovich
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Roger Zemek
- Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, University of Ottawa, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, ON, Canada
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16
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Reihanian Z, Noori Roodsari N, Rimaz S, Asadi P, Khoshsima N, Rafiee Zadeh A, Zia Ziabari SM, Eslami-Kenarsari H, Abbaspour E. Traumatic brain injuries in children during COVID-19 pandemic: a national report from northern Iran. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BURNS AND TRAUMA 2022; 12:175-179. [PMID: 36160672 PMCID: PMC9490154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that referral cases of traumatic injuries have decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic both in childhood and in adulthood. Still we have very little evidence of referrals due to traumatic brain injury among children during the COVID-19 outbreak. The present study aimed to describe epidemiological and clinical features of pediatric traumatic brain injuries. METHODS This cross-sectional study was performed on all patients under 15 years with any evidence of head trauma, referring to Poursina teaching hospital, a referral center for trauma and road accidents in northern Iran. The patients' data were retrospectively collected by reviewing the hospital recorded files and the trauma-specific hospital information system. RESULTS Of all 543 pediatric traumatic injuries referred to our hospital during the two pointed periods, 166 had any evidence of head and neck injuries leading to an overall prevalence rate of 30.6%. In this regard, the prevalence rate of head/neck injuries was estimated to be 140 out of 436 within a pre-COVID-19 period (32.1%) and 26 out of 107 within the COVID-19 period (24.3%) indicating no significant difference between the two time periods (P = 0.243). However, assessing the rate of head/neck injuries pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods according to patients' age showed a higher rate of such injuries in pre-COVID-19 as compared to COVID-19 periods in patients aged less than two years (55.6% versus 37.5%, P = 0.013) as well as aged 2 to six years (45.8% versus 30.0%, P = 0.036). CONCLUSION The rate of admission of children due to traumatic brain injury during the COVID-19 period does not show a significant change compared to before, and only in children under 6 years of age a decrease in referrals due to brain trauma during the COVID-19 period was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoheir Reihanian
- Road Trauma Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical SciencesRasht, Iran
| | - Nazanin Noori Roodsari
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Poursina Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical SciencesRasht, Iran
| | - Siamak Rimaz
- Guilan Road Trauma Research Center, Guilan University of Medical SciencesRasht, Iran
| | - Payman Asadi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical SciencesRasht, Iran
| | - Naghmeh Khoshsima
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical SciencesRasht, Iran
| | | | - Seyyed Mahdi Zia Ziabari
- Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical SciencesRasht, Iran
| | - Habib Eslami-Kenarsari
- MSc in Biostatistics, Vice-Chancellor for Resaerch and Technology, Guilan University of Medical SciencesRasht, Iran
| | - Elahe Abbaspour
- Guilan Road Trauma Research Center, Guilan University of Medical SciencesRasht, Iran
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17
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Putzer G, Gasteiger L, Mathis S, van Enckevort A, Hell T, Resch T, Schneeberger S, Martini J. Solid Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity in the Eurotransplant Area During the First Year of COVID-19. Transplantation 2022; 106:1450-1454. [PMID: 35411875 PMCID: PMC9213062 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000004158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transplantation activity during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was severely affected worldwide. This retrospective analysis aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on organ donations and transplantations in the Eurotransplant region during the first 12 mo of the pandemic. Specifically, we compared donor and transplantation numbers during both waves to determine whether transplant systems adapted to this new reality. METHODS All reported organ donations and transplantations from March 1, 2015, to February 28, 2021, were collected from the Eurotransplant International Foundation registry. The observation period from 2020 to 2021 was divided into three 4-mo periods, which were then compared with the corresponding periods of the preceding 5 y. COVID-19 cases for Eurotransplant countries were retrieved from the OurWorldInData.org database. RESULTS Overall, the number of organ donors decreased by 18.3% (P < 0.0001) and the number of organ transplantations by 12.5% (P > 0.0001) compared with previous years. Pancreas transplantation was the most affected, followed by kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplant. In detail, during period 1, the number of organ donors decreased by 26.2% (P < 0.0001) and the number of organ transplantations by 16.5% (P < 0.0001), in period 2 by 5.5% (P < 0.0091) and 4.9% (P < 0.0001), and in period 3 by 23.1% (P < 0.0001) and 16.4% (P < 0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Organ donation and transplantation decreased drastically also during the second wave; however, despite the severity of the second wave, the decline was comparable with that of the first wave.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Putzer
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Lukas Gasteiger
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Simon Mathis
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Tobias Hell
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Thomas Resch
- Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefan Schneeberger
- Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Judith Martini
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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18
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Velnar T, Bosnjak R. Management of neurosurgical patients during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemics: The Ljubljana, Slovenia experience. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:4726-4736. [PMID: 35801036 PMCID: PMC9198871 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i15.4726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging disease, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. It bears unique biological characteristics, clinical symptoms and imaging manifestations, therefore presenting an important and urgent threat to global health. As a result, a new public health crisis arose, threatening the world with the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus. Despite the maximal worldwide public health responses aimed at containing the disease and delaying its spread, many countries have been confronted with a critical care crisis, and even more, countries will almost certainly follow. In Slovenia, the COVID-19 has struck the health system immensely and among all the specialities, neurosurgery has also been experiencing difficulties in the service, not only in regular, elective surgeries but especially during emergencies. The management of these neurosurgical patients has become more difficult than ever. We describe our protocol in the management of neurosurgical patients in the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia and how neurosurgical pathology was tackled during the pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomaz Velnar
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Roman Bosnjak
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
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