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Clinical science
Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on surgical procedures for retinal detachment in France: a national database study
  1. Florian Baudin1,2,
  2. Eric Benzenine3,
  3. Anne-Sophie Mariet3,4,
  4. Inès Ben Ghezala1,2,
  5. Vincent Daien5,6,
  6. Pierre-Henry Gabrielle1,7,
  7. Catherine Quantin3,4,
  8. Catherine P Creuzot-Garcher1,7
  1. 1 Ophthalmology, University Hospital Centre Dijon, Dijon, France
  2. 2 Équipe d'Accueil (EA 7460): Physiopathologie et Épidémiologie Cérébro-Cardiovasculaires (PEC2), Burgundy Franche-Comté University, Dijon, France
  3. 3 Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (DIM), University Hospital Centre Dijon, Dijon, France
  4. 4 Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, INSERM CIC1432, University Hospital Centre Dijon, Dijon, France
  5. 5 Ophthalmology, University Hospital Montpellier, Montpellier, France
  6. 6 Epidemiology, INSERM, U1061, Montpellier, France
  7. 7 Eye and Nutrition Research Group, Taste and Food Science Center, Burgundy Franche-Comté University, Dijon, France
  1. Correspondence to Professor Catherine P Creuzot-Garcher, Department of Ophthtalmology, University Hospital Centre Dijon, Dijon 21000, France; catherine.creuzot-garcher{at}chu-dijon.fr

Abstract

Background/aims The COVID-19 crisis and the decisions made regarding population lockdown may have changed patient care. We aimed to investigate the incidence rate of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) cases during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

Methods In this nationwide database study, we identified hospital and clinic admissions of French residents for a first episode of RRD in France from 2017 to the lockdown period in 2020. The monthly hospital incidence rates of RRD procedures per 100 000 inhabitants before, during and after lockdown were computed for the whole country. Finally, we assessed the influence of viral incidence on the RRD incidence rate, comparing two regions with highly contrasting viral penetration.

Results From January to July, the average monthly national hospital incidence rate of RRD decreased from a mean of 2.59/100 000 inhabitants during 2017–2019 to 1.57/100 000 inhabitants in 2020. Compared with 2019, during the 8-week lockdown period in 2020, a 41.6% decrease in the number of RRD procedures was observed (p<0.001) with the weekly incidence of RRD decreasing from 0.63/100 000 inhabitants in 2019 to 0.36/100 000 inhabitants. During the 4-month post-lockdown period, no increased activity related to postponed procedures was observed. No difference was found in the rate of RRD surgery when comparing two regions with highly contrasting viral incidence.

Conclusion Containment may have been responsible for a decrease in the number of surgical procedures for RRD, without any compensating post-lockdown activity in France. These results might help increase awareness of the management of RRD emergencies.

  • epidemiology
  • retina
  • COVID-19

Data availability statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplemental information. Aggregate data extracted from health insurance databases are only accessible to authorised personnel. The number of retinal detachments per month in France is available in table 1.

This article is made freely available for personal use in accordance with BMJ’s website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.

https://bmj.com/coronavirus/usage

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2021-319531

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    Data availability statement

    All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplemental information. Aggregate data extracted from health insurance databases are only accessible to authorised personnel. The number of retinal detachments per month in France is available in table 1.

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors Conception and design—CPC-G, CQ, VD and FB. Data extraction—EB and FB. Analysis and interpretation—A-SM, CQ, FB, P-HG, IBG, CPC-G and VD. Discussion and suggestions on the manuscript—A-SM, CQ, FB, P-HG, IBG, CPC-G and VD. Full access to all the data in the study and responsible for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis—CPC-G and CQ.

    • Funding The project was funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR-20-COV1-0005-01).

    • Competing interests IBG, EB, A-SM and CQ have nothing to disclose. FB—consultant (Novartis and Théa). P-HG—consultant (Novartis, Bayer, Allergan and Horus). VD—consultant (Bayer, Novartis and Théa). CPC-G—consultant (Allergan, Bayer, Horus Pharma, Novartis, Roche and Théa).

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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