Impact of Coronavirus in a Dermatology Outpatient Clinic: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Abstract

Objective: Increased anxiety among individuals following the declaration of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, changes in social life, and dermatological eruptions caused or triggered by the COVID-19 infection have altered the incidence of dermatological diseases. To determine the impact of the pandemic, this study evaluated changes in the frequency, profile, and diagnostic spectrum of dermatology patients during the pandemic compared to the previous year. Materials and Methods: This study compared a 6-month period from March 2020, when the first COVID-19 case was reported in Turkey, to September 2020, with the same period in 2019. Age, sex, diagnosis groups, and diagnoses were recorded and compared with the previous year. Results: We observed an increase in the number of cases of dermatitis, xerosis cutis, sunburn, scabies, and insect bites, and a decrease in psoriasis vulgaris, atopic dermatitis, benign neoplasias and hyperplasias, polymorphic light eruption, urticaria, pyoderma, tinea unguium, and telogen effluvium. No changes were observed in the incidence of herpes simplex and herpes zoster, which was expected to increase, or of acne vulgaris cases, which was expected to decrease. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, and it seems likely to continue for sometime. A knowledge of changes in the patient population occurring with the pandemic will be useful in determining a better clinical approach.