COVID-19 and the Impact on the Cranio-Oro-Facial Trauma Care in Italy: An Epidemiological Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has deeply modified the organization of hospitals, health care centers, and the patient’s behavior. The aim of this epidemiological retrospective cohort study is to evaluate if and how the COVID-19 pandemic has determined a modification in cranio-oro-facial traumatology service. Methods: The dataset included hospital emergency room access of a six-month pre-pandemic period and six months into pandemic outbreak. The variables collected were: patient age, gender, type of emergency access with relative color code, Glasgow Coma Scale Score, type of discharge. Results: 537 vs. 237 (pre-pandemic vs. pandemic) patients accessed the hospital emergency room and the mean age decreased from 60.79 ± 25.34 to 56.75 ± 24.50 year. Yellow and green code access went from 28.9% and 66.1% to 37.5% and 57.7% (pre-pandemic vs. pandemic). Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) shows an increase of 16.6% vs. 27.8% of 15 grade score, a 28.7% vs. 28.5% of the 14 grade score and reduction of 13 and 12 grade 40.2% and 14.5% vs. 37.1 and 9.7% (pre-pandemic vs. pandemic). Conclusions: Since the COVID-19 outbreak continues, epidemiological data are still necessary to perform public health intervention strategies and to appropriately predict the population needs, in order to properly manage the COVID-19 related to oral pathologies as well as the most common health problems.