Effects of SARS-CoV-2 emergency measures on high-risk lesions detection: a multicentre cross-sectional study
Manuele Furnari, Leonardo Henry Eusebi, Edoardo Savarino, C. Petruzzellis, Gianluca Esposito, Marcello Maida, Luigi Ricciardiello, Silvia Pecere, Andrea Buda, Manuela De Bona, Cristiano Spada, Emilio Di Giulio, Guido Costamagna, Ivo Boškoski, Edoardo G. Giannini
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic enforced the interruption of routine endoscopic examinations raising the issue of potential delays in the diagnosis of high-risk lesions. We conducted a multicentre study to assess the decrease of GI and pancreato-biliary high-risk lesions detection consequent to the reduction of the endoscopic activity. The lockdown period was compared to the equivalent timeframe of the previous 3 years. Endoscopic procedures decreased by 72.9% (elective 72.4% and urgent 51.3%); the overall cases of high-grade dysplasia/cancers decreased by 59.1% (23.4% pancreato-biliary cancers; 70.6% and 68.8% upper and lower GI lesions). The postemergency period should aim at limiting high-risk lesions delayed diagnoses.