THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF FRACTURES

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological transition of fractures in patients who were treated in a tertiary hospital which is reference in traumatology during the COVID-19 pandemic to assess the changes in trauma service. Methods: This is a retrospective and descriptive analysis of data on orthopedics lesions treated at Instituto Doutor Jose Frota between December 16, 2019 and June 16, 2020 (three months before and after the first case of COVID-19 in Ceará). Results: In total, we evaluated 913 patients, 28.5% of which were women and 71.5%, men. We found a significative reduction (p < 0.05) in the proportion of female patients operated in the analyzed time. We also observed an increase in patients’ mean age, 35.4 years before the pandemic, and 38.48 (p = 0.04) during the consecutive period. Trauma mechanisms significantly changed (p < 0.05), with a proportional increase of high-energy traumas and reduction of instances of falling. We found a 11.9% reduction in orthopedic surgeries, from 655 to 577 at the time after the first case of COVID-19 (p = 0.071). Mean hospitalization length (p < 0.001) and time until surgeries decreased (p < 0.001). Conclusion: We observed the impact of lockdown in this hospital of trauma especially via the decreased number of operated cases and the change in patients’ profile and trauma mechanism. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Comparative Study.