Efectos de la pandemia por COVID-19 en el tratamiento y seguimiento de los pacientes con uveítis antes y después de marzo de 2020 en un centro oftalmológico en Bogotá, Colombia
Thesis
Background: Uveitis is a common cause of significant visual impairment. According to different studies, it has an estimated incidence of 17 to 52 per 100,000 inhabitants per year and an estimated prevalence of 38 to 714 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. It can be associated with autoimmune and infectious systemic diseases, requiring an interdisciplinary approach and close follow-up to avoid associated complications. The lockdown derived from the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic represented a challenge for managing and following up patients with uveitis worldwide. Objective: To identify the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the treatment and follow-up of patients with uveitis in an ophthalmological center in Bogota, Colombia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study, in which information was collected from the patient's medical records from an ophthalmology center in Bogotá, Colombia. Informed consent was previously obtained before applying a phone survey to gather data. Patients were classified into 2 groups: With post-pandemic follow-up (Wf) and without post-pandemic follow-up (Nf). Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were performed with the JAMOVI 2.2.5 system according to the variables’ characteristics. Results: Sixty-three patients were included in the study. Change in the treatment was documented in 40.7% (Wf) and 44% (Nf) of patients and continuation of the uveitis follow-up was reported in 70.9% (Wf) and 61.1% (Nf) of the patients. Pre-pandemic intraocular inflammation was related to a greater difficulty perception in follow-up by the uvea specialist (p: 0.049). Fifty percent of the patients with intraocular inflammation during the pre-pandemic evaluation persisted with inflammation in the post-pandemic evaluation (p: 0.052). There was not any statistically significant difference in treatment variables before and after the pandemic. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic represented a challenge for patients with uveitis and physicians in terms of treatment and follow-up. There is little information in the literature that portrays the impact of the pandemic on uveitis patients. More studies are required to improve our patients' access and follow-up strategies, even in conditions where attendance is affected.
