Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the amputation rate in Germany in patients with critical limb-threatening ischaemia

Derwich W, Schöffski O, Herrmann E, Oikonomou K (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

Innovative Surgical Science De Gruyter

DOI: 10.1515/iss-2024-0035

Abstract

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has shown a wide range of direct and indirect influences on the health of the population. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the amputation rate in Germany in patients with critical limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI). Methods: The epidemiological, pooled, and anonymised data of 476,168 CLTI patients from the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) were analysed for 2019–2023 at the federal level at weekly intervals and compared with epidemiological data for COVID-19 patients from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) database, divided into the pandemic phases. Results: The number of inpatient cases declined by −4.64 % (p>0.05) from 2019 to 2020 and increased significantly by +7.07 % (p=0.001) from 2020 to 2023. The incidence of all lower limb amputations increased from 2019 to 2022 (23.9 vs. 25.7 %, p=0.01) with no significant changes in 2023. Moreover, the incidence of minor amputations increased from 16.9 % in 2019 to a maximum of 18.9 % (p<0.001) in 2022, and then to 18.4 % (p=0.02) in 2023. In the short-term perspective, inpatient cases significantly decreased in phases 1 and 3, with a relevant increase in the subsequent phases. However, the incidence of all amputations, especially minor ones, is constantly increasing. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly indirectly impacted the management of CLTI patients, with a marked increase in the incidence of minor amputations, presumably due to the delayed presentation of patients with small necroses and due to limited access to healthcare.

Authors with CRIS profile

Oliver Schöffski Lehrstuhl für Betriebswirtschaftslehre, insbesondere Gesundheitsmanagement

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main (KGU) DE Germany (DE) Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Derwich, W., Schöffski, O., Herrmann, E., & Oikonomou, K. (2024). Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the amputation rate in Germany in patients with critical limb-threatening ischaemia. Innovative Surgical Science. https://doi.org/10.1515/iss-2024-0035

MLA:

Derwich, Wojciech, et al. "Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the amputation rate in Germany in patients with critical limb-threatening ischaemia." Innovative Surgical Science (2024).

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