The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management and course of chronic urticaria
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically disrupts health care around the globe. The impact of the pandemic on chronic urticaria (CU) and its management are largely unknown. Aim: To understand how CU patients are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; how specialists alter CU patient management; and the course of CU in patients with COVID-19. Materials and methods: Our cross-sectional, international, questionnaire-based, multicenter UCARE COVID-CU study assessed the impact of the pandemic on patient consultations, remote treatment, changes in medications, and clinical consequences. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic severely impairs CU patient care, with less than 50% of the weekly numbers of patients treated as compared to before the pandemic. Reduced patient referrals and clinic hours were the major reasons. Almost half of responding UCARE physicians were involved in COVID-19 patient care, which negatively impacted on the care of urticaria patients. The rate of face-to-face consultations decreased by 62%, from 90% to less than half, whereas the rate of remote consultations increased by more than 600%, from one in 10 to more than two thirds. Cyclosporine and systemic corticosteroids, but not antihistamines or omalizumab, are used less during the pandemic. CU does not affect the course of COVID-19, but COVID-19 results in CU exacerbation in one of three patients, with higher rates in patients with severe COVID-19. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic brings major changes and challenges for CU patients and their physicians. The long-term consequences of these changes, especially the increased use of remote consultations, require careful evaluation.
2020
2020-12-14 09:45:51
1033
chronic urticaria, pandemics, omalizumab, cyclosporine, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, UCARE, treatment
kronična urtikarija, pandemije, omalizumab, ciklosporin, covid-19, SARS-CoV-2, UCARE, zdravljenje
Emek
Kocatürk
70
Andaç
Salman
70
Ivan
Cherrez-Ojeda
70
Paulo Ricardo
Criado
70
Jonny
Peter
70
Elif
Comert-Ozer
70
Mohamed
Abuzakouk
70
Rosana
Câmara Agondi
70
Mona
Al-Ahmad
70
Sabine
Altrichter
70
Mojca
Bizjak
70
Mitja
Košnik
70
UDK
4
616-097
ISSN pri članku
9
1398-9995
DOI
15
10.1111/ALL.14687
COBISS_ID
3
42049795
OceCobissID
13
515009305
0
Izvorni URL
2020-12-14 09:45:54