[Problems in treating patients with chronic HCV infection due to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the lockdown phase in Germany].

[Problems in treating patients with chronic HCV infection due to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the lockdown phase in Germany]. Z Gastroenterol. 2020 Nov 09;: Authors: Hüppe D, Niederau C, Serfert Y, Hartmann H, Wedemeyer H, für das DHC-R Abstract BACKGROUND:  Healthcare services were faced with unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdown regulations. In order to analyse the influence of the pandemic on the healthcare of patients with chronic hepatitis C in Germany, we carried out a structured questionnaire among all centres participating in the German Hepatitis C-Registry (DHC-R). METHODS:  320 centres of the DHC-R were invited to participate in an online survey. Of these, 74 centres had included ≥ 5 patients in the last 12 months. FINDINGS:  A fully answered questionnaire was sent back by 64 centres. Due to the lockdown regulations, 11 % of the centres had stopped their regular consultation between March and May 2020; 58 % had reduced the consultations and 32 % did not change the consultations. More than 50 % of the appointment cancellations were done by the patients. 52 % of the centres offered a new or additional telephone consultation and 17 % offered a new video consultation. Between March and May 2020, the number of patients newly treated with antivirals was markedly lower when compared with the same period in 2019. All centres had returned to the...
Source: Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Z Gastroenterol Source Type: research