Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35080644›Full record

ArticleLangenbeck's archives of surgery2022

Did the COVID-19 lockdown result in a delay of colorectal cancer presentation and outcomes? A single centre review.

Tsinrong Lee, Darren Z Cheng, Fung-Joon Foo, Sharmini S Sivarajah, Leonard M L Ho, Darius Aw, Cheryl X Z Chong, Jia-Lin Ng, Winson J H Tan, Frederick H Koh

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Langenbeck's archives of surgery, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Tsinrong Lee *Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9323-8859
Darren Z Cheng *Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Drive, Queenstown, 117597, Singapore. darrencheng@u.nus.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4526-5494
Fung-Joon FooColorectal Service, Department of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Sharmini S SivarajahColorectal Service, Department of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Leonard M L HoColorectal Service, Department of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Darius AwColorectal Service, Department of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Cheryl X Z ChongColorectal Service, Department of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Jia-Lin NgColorectal Service, Department of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Winson J H TanColorectal Service, Department of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore. winson.tan.j.h@singhealth.com.sg.
Frederick H KohColorectal Service, Department of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdown measures potentially delay management of non-communicable, life-limiting diseases like colorectal cancer (CRC) through avoidance of healthcare facilities by the public and diversion of resources within healthcare systems. This study aims to evaluate the impact of Singapore's "Circuit Breaker (CB)" lockdown measures on CRC disease presentation and short-term surgical outcomes, while comparing Singapore's approach against other countries which employed similar lockdown measures.

methodsPatients whose initial diagnosis of CRC was made within the 6-month pre-CB (6/10/19-6/4/20) ("pre-CB group") and post-CB (7/4/20-7/10/20) ("post-CB group") period were enrolled retrospectively. The groups were compared based on severity of disease on presentation and short-term operative outcomes.

resultsIn total, 105 patients diagnosed with CRC were enrolled in this study. When comparing pre-CB and post-CB groups, there was no significant difference in stage of CRC on presentation (p = 0.850). There was also no increase in need for emergent operations (p = 0.367). For patients who had undergone an operation, postoperative morbidity was not significantly higher in the post-CB group (p = 0.201). Both groups of patients had similar length of stay in the hospital (p = 0.438).

conclusionUnlike similar high-income countries, Singapore did not see later stage disease on presentation and poorer operative outcomes after lockdown measures. Possible reasons include lesser healthcare avoidance behaviours amongst Singaporeans, and adequate preparation of resources and contingency plans formed by hospitals after previous pandemics.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsCommunicable Disease ControlCOVID-19Delayed DiagnosisHumansPandemicsRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2SingaporeColorectal cancerCOVID-19LockdownOutcomes

Identifiers

PMID35080644
PMCPMC8790546

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.