Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The response to SARS-CoV-2 lead to interventions to mitigate the pandemic. We retrospectively analysed the effect of changes on key NET services. These included: change in clinic media, absolute change in numbers for endoscopy and bronchoscopy, nuclear imaging, SSA administration and PRRT numbers compared with 2019.

Method: The NET database was analysed. Endoscopy rates on a monthly basis were reviewed. Two bespoke postal patient surveys were created. Survey 1, sent to 70 randomly selected NET patients in June 2020, detailing 38 MCQs pertaining to scheduling, physicians, consultation media, Covid-19 infection, anxiety, preferences and a free text section. Survey 2 related to treatment, satisfaction and preferences of those vulnerable patients who had a switch from hospital to domiciliary SSA.

Results: A total of 695 patients had recorded attendance at NET centre. 630 were follow-up. 20% of these were face to face, 79% telephone, 1.3% video. 42% of new patients attended face to face, 57% were telephone and 1.5% on video. There was a 67 % response rate from survey 1. 2% had tested positive for Covid-19, 60 % liked telemedicine, 93% felt extremely and very well cared for by their NET physicians and were satisfied with their consultations and illness information. 36% reported an increase in anxiety due to the pandemic and 79% felt supported psychologically. Survey 2 reviewed 25 urgent switches to domiciliary analogue therapy. 68% of patients responded. 75% preferred home treatment, 62% would consider continuing with this after the pandemic. Review of the database revealed a fall in PRRT and chemotherapy numbers by 25% and 33% compared with 2019. Bronchoscopy procedures fell to single numbers in April and by 33% overall. Upper GI and LGI endoscopies fell to zero in April and by 55% overall. FDG PET-CT scanning total yearly figures rose by 2%.

Conclusion: There was a reduction in key services. It will be important to ensure rebound of services has occurred and to assess the long term impact of morbidity and mortality of the pandemic in NET patients.