COVID-Appy Study

Study Summary

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in proclamation of a “state of emergency” across multiple jurisdictions around the globe. To date, there are no data on the impact of COVID-19 distancing practices on children with suspected appendicitis, the most common pediatric surgical emergency. The COVID-Appy study investigates the impact of COVID-19 distancing practices on the outcomes and resource utilization of children with suspected appendicitis across Canadian pediatric Emergency Departments (EDs). The goal of the COVID-Appy study is to provide parents/caregivers and clinical care staff with a reliable health care guidance and optimize patient care in the ED settings. There are 13 Canadian EDs participating the COVID-Appy study: Calgary (lead site), Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, London, Montreal (2 sites), Ottawa, Saskatoon, St. John's, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg. All study sites are members of Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC).

Objectives

1. To determine whether there has been a change, and if so its magnitude, in perforation rates in children with appendicitis following implementation of COVID-19 distancing practices
2. To determine whether there has been a change in rates of delayed diagnosis of appendicitis

Principal Study Investigator: Dr. Graham Thompson

Project Lead: Dr. Beata Mickiewicz

Study Team: Dr. Darcy Beer, Dr. Maala Bhatt, Dr. Brett Burstein, Dr. William Craig, Eleanor Fitzpatrick, Dr. Jocelyn Gravel, Dr. April Kam, Dr. Ahmed Mater, Dr. Robert Porter, Dr. Naveen Poonai, Dr. Vikram Sabhaney, Dr. Suzanne Schuh, Dr. Mary Brindle, Dr. Alberto Nettel-Aguirre