2022, Cilt 20, Sayı 1, Sayfa(lar) 011-018 |
|
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on biochemistry laboratory test consumptions and diversity |
Giray Bozkaya, Sibel Bilgili |
Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi İzmir Bozyaka Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Tıbbi Biyokimya, İzmir, Türkiye |
Keywords: COVID-19, laboratory, diagnostics, pandemic |
Introduction: The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which the World Health Organization has
considered as a pandemic, was named COVID-19 and has since spread worldwide. The COVID-19
pandemic has drastically changed the way we live and work. During events like COVID-19, it is very
important to manage resources and supplies correctly in medical laboratories. This article aims to
explore the changes in laboratory test demands during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Materials and Methods: The statistics of medical biochemistry laboratory test consumption between
the pre-pandemic period (April 2019 - 2020) and the pandemic period (April 2020 - 2021) were
evaluated using the hospital information system. Changes in the number of biochemistry tests were
given as percentages.
Results: Total specimens received for testing in April 2020-2021 showed a decline of 63.22%
compared to April 2019-2020. An increase in test demands of prognostic biomarkers for COVID-19;
including fibrinogen, D-dimer, procalcitonin, CRP, troponin I, prealbumin, blood gas analysis was noted
in contrast to the overall decline.
Conclusions: It was concluded that it is very important for clinical laboratory managers to be prepared
and careful, as significant changes were detected in general routine biochemical test consumptions and
COVID-19 prognostic biomarker test requests during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic
period.
|
|
|