Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gastric surgery in Japan: A nationwide study using interrupted time-series analyses.
J Gastroenterol Hepatol
; 39(7): 1277-1284, 2024 Jul.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38454806
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM:
Changes in the number of surgeries for gastric cancer during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been reported, but data are insufficient to understand the impact at the national level. This study aimed to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gastric surgery in Japan.METHODS:
Insurance claims data registered from January 2015 to January 2021 were used. Changes in the number of endoscopic resections and gastrectomies for gastric cancer were estimated using an interrupted time-series analysis.RESULTS:
The number of endoscopic resections significantly decreased in July 2020 (-1565; 95% confidence interval [CI] -2022, -1108) and January 2021 (-539; 95% CI -970, -109), and the number of laparoscopic surgeries significantly decreased in July 2020 (-795; 95% CI -1097, -492), October 2020 (-313; 95% CI -606, -19), and January 2021 (-507; 95% CI -935, -78). Meanwhile, the number of open gastrectomies remained unchanged, and the number of robot-assisted gastrectomies steadily increased since their coverage by public health insurance in April 2018.CONCLUSIONS:
The decreased number of endoscopic resections and laparoscopic surgeries in Japan suggests a decline in early-stage gastric cancer diagnosis, likely due to the suspension of gastric cancer screening and diagnostic testing during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the number of open and robot-assisted gastrectomies remained unchanged and increased, respectively, indicating that these applications were not affected by the pandemic-related medical crisis. These findings highlight that procedures for cancer diagnosis, including screening, should still be provided during pandemics.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Neoplasias Gástricas
/
Laparoscopia
/
Análise de Séries Temporais Interrompida
/
Gastrectomia
/
COVID-19
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article