Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the clinical profile of patients in Neurophysiology clinic

Mamdouh H. Kalakatawi; Nusrat Aziz

doi:10.30574/wjarr.2021.9.3.0120

eISSN: 2581-9615 || CODEN: WJARAI || Impact Factor 8.2 || CrossRef DOI

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Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the clinical profile of patients in Neurophysiology clinic

Mamdouh H. Kalakatawi ¹ and Nusrat Aziz ^{1, 2, *}

¹ Department of Neurology, Al Noor Specialists Hospital, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

² Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Research Article

World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 09(03), 319-325

Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2021.9.3.0120

DOI url: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2021.9.3.0120

Publication history

Received on 20 February 2021; revised on 22 March 2021; accepted on 25 March 2021

Abstract

Clinical neurophysiological testing is an important integral part of neurological diagnosis and management. During Covid-19 pandemic non-emergency clinics have suffered adversely. WHO declared Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Clinical records from March 2019 to March 2021 were analyzed, for impact of pandemic on profile of 924 patients referred for nerve conduction studies (NCS).

It was observed that percentage of referrals showing normal NCS decreased from 48.64% to 28.45%, Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) cases - decreased from 60.45% to 46.58%of the total abnormal cases, mild CTS cases - decreased from 36.11% of to 26.2% of total CTS patients, traumatic nerve injuries -increased from 6.96% before Covid-19 to 18.02% during the pandemic and the radiculopathies diagnosed - increased from 7.8% to 11.8%.

Pandemics are difficult situations and these findings prompt us to question “Is the prolonged stay at home, and work from home damaging our spine and increasing radiculopathies?” “Are we inadvertently missing the milder cases?” “Is the pandemic stress taking its toll in increased percentage of traumatic nerve injuries?”

There is a urgent need to study more about this effect. This will help us to be better prepared for such pandemics in future, and bring about necessary changes in our healthcare system.

Keywords

Clinical neurophysiology; Nerve conduction study; Covid-19; Pandemic

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How to cite this article

Mamdouh H. Kalakatawi and Nusrat Aziz. Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the clinical profile of patients in Neurophysiology clinic. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 9(3), 319-325. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2021.9.3.0120

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Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the clinical profile of patients in Neurophysiology clinic

Mamdouh H. Kalakatawi ¹ and Nusrat Aziz ^{1, 2, *}

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Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the clinical profile of patients in Neurophysiology clinic

Mamdouh H. Kalakatawi 1 and Nusrat Aziz 1, 2, *

Preview Article PDF

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Issue details

Mamdouh H. Kalakatawi ¹ and Nusrat Aziz ^{1, 2, *}