The Effect of the COVID-19 on Corrosive Ingestion in Thailand

• Main Authors: Thongchuam C, Mahawongkajit P, Kanlerd A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2021-07-01
• Series: Open Access Emergency Medicine
• Subjects: corrosive ingestion; caustic injury; esophagus; stomach; covid-19
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/the-effect-of-the-covid-19-on-corrosive-ingestion-in-thailand-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OAEM

Chatbadin Thongchuam, Prasit Mahawongkajit, Amonpon Kanlerd Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Amphur Klongluang, Pathumthani, 12120, ThailandCorrespondence: Prasit MahawongkajitDepartment of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Amphur Klongluang, Pathumthani, 12120, ThailandTel + 66 2926 9523Fax + 66 2926 9530Email [e-mail]: Since January 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus has impacted global mental health, daily activities, and economies, including Thailand. The essential strategy is the disease-preventing measure of “lockdown.” Corrosive ingestion is one of the most common forms of self-harm and problems worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of corrosive ingestion in the COVID-19 situation.Methods: This was a retrospective study of adult patients (≥ 18y) who had ingested corrosives and been admitted to surgical department, Thammasat University Hospital between June and December 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and January to June 2020 (COVID-19 period) and compared the epidemiological and clinical features between these two groups.Results: Nine and 20 patients were admitted in the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods, for an increase of 122%; males numbered 15. A minority of ingestions, 8/29, were intentional of which 7 were in the COVID-19 period. The Zargar classification showed a trend towards more gastric injury in the COVID-19 vs pre-COVID-19 periods: 8/17 vs 1/9 (p=0.09). Because of the endoscopic grade 0 in stomach was significantly higher in pre-COVID-19 than COVID-19 case (pre-COVID-19; 8 patients (88.9%), COVID-19; 9 patients (45%); p value 0.011).Conclusion: Data from this study suggest increasing trends of corrosive ingestion and greater gastric injury during the COVID-19 period.Keywords: corrosive ingestion, caustic injury, esophagus, stomach, COVID-19