Changes in first-time patients in an outpatient memory clinic ―The impact of the declaration of a state of emergency―

Abstract

Aim: With the spread of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and the resulting declaration of a state of emergency, many medical institutions refrained from providing medical care, and patients themselves refrained from visiting hospitals. We also stopped accepting new patients to our outpatient memory loss clinic. We examined whether or not there was any change in the patients who visited our clinic after the state of emergency was lifted. Methods: A total of 517 first-time patients ≥65 years old who visited the Center for Comprehensive Care on Memory Disorders at Kyorin University Hospital from July 2019 to June 2021 were included in the study. Patients were grouped by quarter, and their physical characteristics, frailty, and Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) findings were compared. Results: Patients who were first seen in July-September 2020 (Q3) had a higher number of medications and greater proportion of frailty than those who were first-time patients in other periods. Regarding the sub-indices, weight loss (48.6%) and the percentage of those complaining of fatigue (37.5%) were significantly higher in Q3 than in other periods. Regarding the CGA findings, the Vitality Index was significantly lower, and among the sub-items, appetite and motivation for activity were lower in Q3 than in other periods. Conclusions: First-time outpatients at the outpatient memory clinic in Q3 of 2020 had a higher rate of frailty and lower motivation than first-time patients at other times. The spread of COVID-19 infection and behavioral restrictions due to the declaration of a state of emergency may have contributed to the progression of frailty among outpatients with memory loss.