Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37438707›Full record

ArticleBMC gastroenterology2023

Triage policy to postpone endoscopy for patients with low-risk varices is safe during the lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic.

Yu-Jen Chen, Ming-Chih Hou, Tsung-Chieh Yang, Pei-Chang Lee, Yi-Hsiang Huang, Fa-Yauh Lee

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 81% of its field
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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 0 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Yu-Jen ChenDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Rd., Taipei 112, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Ming-Chih HouDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Rd., Taipei 112, Taipei City, Taiwan. mchou@vghtpe.gov.tw.
Tsung-Chieh YangDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Rd., Taipei 112, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Pei-Chang LeeDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Rd., Taipei 112, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Yi-Hsiang HuangDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Rd., Taipei 112, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Fa-Yauh LeeDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Rd., Taipei 112, Taipei City, Taiwan.
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University · TW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND &

aimsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the endoscopic services were electively postponed or suspended. We aimed to assess the safety of a triage policy in patients receiving esophageal variceal ligation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodsTriage policy of endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) was implemented in our hospital during the lockdown period from 15th May 2021 to 26th July 2021. One experienced gastroenterologist reviewed the prior-scheduled list of patients for the EVL prophylaxisprogram. We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes with those receiving endoscopy due to esophageal varices from 17th May 2020 to 28th July 2020.

resultsOf the 124 patients receiving EVL, a higher percentage of esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB) was noted (9/32, 28.1% vs. 8/92, 8.7%, p = 0.006) during the lockdown period, with a higher percentage of EVB in the referrals (7/9, 77.8% vs. 2/14, 14.2%, p = 0.007). Among patients who received prophylactic EVL, 6 of 78 (7.7%) experienced EVB during the normal period, which is no different to 2 of 23 (8.7%) during the lockdown period. Twenty-three patients whose endoscopies were postponed by triage policy due to low-risk or eradicated varices did not experience EVB during the lockdown period. Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class C was predictive of EVB (relative risk 8.400, P = 0.033), entering the program of prophylactic EVL was the protective factor of EVB (relative risk 0.016, P = 0.002).

conclusionEntrance into the prophylaxis program does not only decreases risk of EVB but also fosters comprehensive triage to postpone endoscopy during the lockdown period.

Indexed as

COVID-19Esophageal and Gastric VaricesVaricose VeinsCommunicable Disease ControlEndoscopy, GastrointestinalGastrointestinal HemorrhageHumansPandemicsPolicyProtective FactorsTriageCOVID-19Esophageal varicesTriage policy

Identifiers

PMID37438707
PMCPMC10339515
OpenAlexW4384070234

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.