COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented restrictions in outpatient services and surgical practices in urology as in other medical branches as well as in all areas of life.
To investigate whether there have been variations in the presentations of male patients with sexual and reproductive health problems to the outpatient urology clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand the underlying factors for these variations, if any.
Male patients aged ≥18 years who presented to the outpatient urology clinics in 12 centers across Turkey from February 1, 2020 to June 1, 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups: those who presented to the outpatient clinic from February 1, 2020 to March 11, 2020 comprised the "pre-COVID-19 pandemic period" group, whereas those who presented to the outpatient clinic from March 12, 2020 to June 1, 2020 comprised the "COVID-19 pandemic period" group and compared with each other.
Number and diagnose of patients presented to urology outpatient clinics.
Andrological problems were detected in 721 of 4,955 male patients included in the study. During the COVID-19 pandemic period, there was a significant increase in andrological diagnosis in these patients compared with the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period [n=293 (17%) vs. n=428 (13.2%), p<0.001, respectively]. Similarly, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of patients diagnosed with male reproductive or sexual health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic period [n=107 (6.2%) vs. n=149 (4.6%), p=0.016 and n=186 (10.8%) vs. n=279 (8.6%), p=0.013, respectively]. The number of patients diagnosed with erectile dysfunction during the pandemic was also significantly higher than the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period [n=150 (8.7%) vs. n=214 (6.6%), p=0.008].
Presentations to the outpatient urology clinics due to andrological problems markedly increased during the pandemic period. Although these problems are of multifactorial origin, psychogenic factors are also considered to significantly trigger these problems.
Sexual medicine. 2020 Dec 07 [Epub ahead of print]
Mesut Berkan Duran, Omer Yildirim, Yalcin Kizilkan, Cagatay Tosun, Abdullah Cirakoglu, Mehmet Hamza Gultekin, Umit Gul, Mesut Altan, Cem Sah, Eray Hasirci, Erman Ceyhan, Sakir Ongun, Tahsin Turunc
Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Department of Urology, Samsun, Turkey., Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa School of Medicine, Department of Urology, Istanbul, Turkey., Ankara City Hospital, Department of Urology, Ankara, Turkey., Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Department of Urology, Istanbul, Turkey., Ordu University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Ordu, Turkey., Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Department of Urology, Istanbul, Turkey., Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Adana, Turkey., Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Ankara, Turkey., Medline Hospital, Clinic of Urology, Adana, Turkey., Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Ankara, Turkey., Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Konya, Turkey., Balıkesir University School of Medicine, Department of Urology, Balıkesir, Turkey., Iskenderun Gelişim Hospital, Clinic of Urology, Iskenderun, Turkey.