AUTHOR=Li Changqing , Guo Dongsheng , Ma Xiangke , Liu Siwei , Liu Mingyong , Zhou Lichun 

TITLE=The Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Epidemic on Dizziness/Vertigo Outpatients in a Neurological Clinic in China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.663173

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2021.663173

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on dizziness/vertigo outpatients in a neurological clinic in China.
Methods: Against the background of the COVID-19 epidemic, the data of patients who visited the neurological clinic of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital West Branch during the pandemic (February 1 to May 30, 2020) and the corresponding period in 2019 (February 1 to May 30, 2019) were analyzed, and patients with dizziness/vertigo from these two periods were compared to discover their demographic features and etiologic distribution according to their age and sex. 
Result: The absolute number of neurological outpatients decreased from 14,670 in 2019 to 8,763 in 2020 (-40.3%), with a corresponding decline in dizziness/vertigo patients (2019: n=856; 2020: n=1436, -40.4%). Dizziness/vertigo was more common in women than men in these two periods (2019: women=63.6%; 2020: women=63.1%, p=0.82). The overall etiology distribution was different among all disorders between the two periods (p<0.001). There was an increase in BPPV (2019 versus 2020: 30.7% versus 35%, p<0.05) and psychogenic/PPPD (2019 versus 2020: 28.5% versus 34.6%, p<0.05), while a decrease in vascular vertigo during the epidemic (2019 versus 2020: 13% versus 9.6%, p<0.05). During the epidemic, the top three causes of dizziness/vertigo were BPPV (35%), psychogenic/PPPD (34.6%), and vascular vertigo (9.6%). A female predominance was observed in BPPV (women=67.7%, p<0.05) and psychogenic/PPPD (women=67.6%, p<0.05). In addition, the etiology ratio of different age groups was significantly different (p<0.001). The most common cause for young and young-old patients was BPPV, and the most common cause for middle-aged and old-old patients was psychogenic/PPPD.
Conclusion: The absolute number of outpatients with dizziness/vertigo during the COVID-19 pandemic was reduced during the early period of the COVID-19 outbreak. BPPV and psychogenic/PPPD were more abundant and vascular vertigo was less frequent. Based on those data, healthcare management policy for dizziness/vertigo and mental disorder should be developed during the outbreak of COVID-19 and other infective diseases.