Working Paper Article Version 1 This version is not peer-reviewed

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Neonatal Admission: An Interrupted Time-Series Study

Version 1 : Received: 18 January 2021 / Approved: 20 January 2021 / Online: 20 January 2021 (15:59:41 CET)

How to cite: Liu, W.; Yang, Q.; Xu, Z.; Hu, Y.; Wang, Y.; Liu, Z.; Zhao, Q.; Wang, Z.; Wei, H.; Hua, Z. The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Neonatal Admission: An Interrupted Time-Series Study. Preprints 2021, 2021010403 Liu, W.; Yang, Q.; Xu, Z.; Hu, Y.; Wang, Y.; Liu, Z.; Zhao, Q.; Wang, Z.; Wei, H.; Hua, Z. The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Neonatal Admission: An Interrupted Time-Series Study. Preprints 2021, 2021010403

Abstract

(1) Introduction: The unprecedented coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has caused millions of infections worldwide and represents a significant challenge facing modern health care systems. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of lockdown measures on regional neonate services, which might be used to predict the long-term effects of medical behavior. (2) Methods: Using hospital information system (HIS) Statistics data from 4 January 2019 to 27 August 2020, an interrupted time-series analysis was employed to compare changes and trends in hospital admissions and disease spectrum before and after the lockdown interventions. Furthermore, this study was designed to evaluate whether the pandemic influenced newborns' healthcare behavior. (3) Results: Overall, 13,540 infants were admitted to the NICU during the pre-COVID period (n = 12082) and COVID-impacted period (n =4558). The patients' age at admission were younger than that of the pre-COVID-19 period (median age 5d vs. 6d after birth, p<0.001). The overall number of neonate visits consistently decreased from the first days of the lockdown measures (24 January 2020). The disease spectrum for respiratory system, infectious diseases, and gastrointestinal disease indicated no declined immediately after intervention(p =0.079, p =0.113, p =0.060, respectively). There was an immediate decline in the volume of Jaundice-related conditions (p<0.001) after lockdown measures. The percentage of patients who suffer from respiratory system and infectious diseases has decreased (p =0.005 and p =0.002). However, a relatively high percentage of patients admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) presented with Jaundice-related conditions (p <0.001). (4) Conclusions: In summary, the COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted the regional neonate services. However, it is still unclear what might be the effect of long-term effects from pandemic.

Keywords

COVID-19; pandemic; lockdown; Neonate services; disease spectrum; interrupted time-series analysis

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Immunology and Allergy

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