Increase in acute mastoiditis at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
; 281(9): 4747-4756, 2024 Sep.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38740579
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
Common respiratory infections were significantly reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic due to general protective and hygiene measures. The gradual withdrawal of these non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) was associated with a notable increase in these infections, particularly in pediatric and adult otorhinolaryngology. The aim of this retrospective monocentric study was to evaluate the impact of NPI during the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence and severity of acute mastoiditis (AM).METHODS:
Pre-pandemic clinical data of AM cases from 2011 to 2019 were compared with infection counts from January 2020 to June 2023 for seasonal periodicity, age-specific differences, pathogens, and complication rates in a German third-level hospital.RESULTS:
Out of 196 patients with AM 133 were children, the majority between 1 and 5 years of age. Complications of AM, such as meningitis, brain abscess, and sinus vein thrombosis, were more common in adults (87%) than in children (17%). Morbidity and mortality rates were similar before, during and after the pandemic. Pneumococci were the most common pathogen in both age groups, with a post-pandemic cumulation of Streptococcus pyogenes infections in children. While pre-pandemic cases clustered in spring, seasonality was absent in all age groups during the main phase of the pandemic. The cessation of NPI caused a steep rise in AM cases in both age groups starting from December 2022.CONCLUSION:
NPI during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the incidence of AM. Their reversal led to a substantial increase in the incidence of AM during the post-pandemic period, which may be due to a general increase in viral respiratory infections and an insufficiently trained immune system.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
COVID-19
/
Mastoiditis
Límite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
Asunto de la revista:
OTORRINOLARINGOLOGIA
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Alemania
Pais de publicación:
Alemania