Pandemic avoidance of medical care tied to more appendix rupture in kidsA JAMA Network Open study late last week suggests that a pattern of delayed medical care during the pandemic may be responsible for a greater incidence of a ruptured appendix related to appendicitis in children.Doctors at Inova Children's Hospital in Virginia evaluated pediatric emergency department visits from Mar 16 to Jun 7, when Virginia public schools were closed.
Patient volumes in the emergency department fell from 144 patients per day in 2019 (95% confidence interval [CI], 136 to 152) to 65 patients per day (95% CI, 39 to 90; P < 0.001), representing a 55% decrease.The study authors suggest that fear of exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare settings was the likely
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