Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on children undergone percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy due to neurologic diseases

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

Aim: To investigate the effects of SAR-CoV-2 infection on nutritional status in patients who underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) for neurological disorders.Methods: The clinical and laboratory follow-up data of the patients who underwent PEG in our clinic between 2002 and 2018 were evaluated before and during the pandemic.The results were analyzed statistically.Results: Twenty patients were included.They were 70.9±64.4months old at the time of PEG, 97.9±67.8months before the pandemic, and 105.5±60.8months during the pandemic (p=0.048).Weight for age at the time of PEG increased from 10.7±4.6 kg to 15.6±7.2kg before the pandemic.Hemoglobin was 12.3±1.4g/dl at the time of PEG, 13.5±1.6g/dl before the pandemic (p=0.045).Vitamin D was 24.1±8.9ng/ml at the time of PEG and increased to 45.7±9.7 ng/ml during the pandemic (p=0.018).The annual number of visits before the pandemic was 9.8±5.7 and decreased to 2±1.7 during the pandemic (p=0.003).Twelve (%60) of the patients developed PEG complications, 6(30%) had their PEG replaced.Those who had developed PEG complications had low levels of albumin (3.3±0.4 vs 4±0.4 g/dl, p=0.022) and vitamin B12 (578±199 vs 1299±533 pg/ml, p=0.007).Conclusions: Even if PEG is applied late, it provides a partial improvement in patients, but the COVID-19 pandemic reversed these benefits and caused an increase in PEG complications.In order for the patient to get the maximum benefit from PEG, close follow-up is essential.