COMPARISON OF EXACERBATIONS OF COPD CASES BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC MANAGED BY PRIMARY CARE MOBILE TEAMS IN SOUTHERN SPAIN

Clinical Research Results Abstract Research Idea Abstract RESEARCH QUESTIONCompare exacerbations of COPD cases (E-COPD) attended by primary care mobile teams (PC-MT) at patients´ homes before and during COVID-19 pandemic in our District.Analyse the fall in E-COPD during the pandemic and its significance in relation to protective measures, lock-down period and peaks of first waves in our area.BACKGROUNDThere is evidence of a fall in hospitalization rates for COPD during the pandemic. The reason remains unclear. Main causes of E-COPD are respiratory infections, air polution and environmental factors. The effect of protective strategies during the pandemic could have also played a role.Patients with an exacerbation have been managed by PC-MT as usual, even during the lock-down period.Our project results may indicate the difference in E-COPD before and during the pandemic, and their relation with protective strategies.POSSIBLE METHODOLOGYAnalytical study of E-COPD attended by PC-MT : from January 2019 to February-2020 (pre-pandemic period in Spain): 533 cases (2. 09%) and March 2020 to March-2021: 28 cases (0.12%), in the Bay of Cádiz area. Data were extracted from patients´ mobile clinical history with code 491.21 (CIE-9) in these periods. Variables: date, Severity of E-COPD, treatment, hospitalizations… and measures followed by each one .Data will be analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program. A descriptive study will be undertaken with all variables analyzed, followed by inferential studies to obtain clinical conclusions.QUESTIONS TO DISCUSSThe reason for the fall in E-COPD during the pandemic is unclear, but may reflect the effect of protective strategies such as social distance, washing hands, wearing masks (by both patients and co-habitants), and less contact with air polution. It could indicate which strategies should be settled on to decrease the E-COPD. Service Development & Evaluation Abstract Declaration of Interest None References and Clinical Trial Registry Information Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. 2021 Report. En: www.goldcopd.comActualización en Urgencias para el Médico de Familia. Capítulo 51: EPOC Agudizada. Sociedad Andaluza de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria (SAMFyC), 2020. Vol 2, Clínica I. Págs: 887-900.La SEMFYC en tiempos de coronavirus. SARS-COV-2. Sociedad Española de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria (SEMFyC), 2020. Págs: 144 y 145. www.semfyc.es/formacion-y-recursos/la-semfyc-en-tiempos-de-covid-19Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). http://CDC-COVID-19.