TY - JOUR T1 - The usefulness of home medical appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chronic Respiratory Diseases JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.sleepandbreathing-2021.13 VL - 7 IS - suppl 7 SP - 13 AU - M Serino AU - M Van Zeller AU - D Rodrigues AU - M Redondo AU - P Amorim AU - P Dantas AU - E Eusébio AU - T Pinto AU - P Viana AU - M Drummond Y1 - 2021/04/16 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/7/suppl_7/13.abstract N2 - Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, teleconsultation was used for most non-COVID-19 patients; however, in some patients, it was imperative to provide immediate face-to-face care.Aim: To evaluate the usefulness of home medical consultations (HMCs) in patients with chronic respiratory failure (CRF) and neuromuscular (NM) diseases.Methods: Retrospective analysis of the HMCs performed between June and August 2020. Patients' demographic and clinical data were evaluated. Medical observation, the results of the tests performed [SpO2, TcCO2, ABG, pulmonary function tests (PFT)] and the therapeutic changes were analyzed.Results: Twenty-two HMC, 13 females’ patients, median age 63.3 years. The main diagnoses were NM disease (n=8), COPD+CRF (n=7), and multifactorial CRF (n=7). All patients with COPD and multifactorial CRF had dyspnea, mMRC ≥ 3 (n=13). They were under NIV (n=4), LTOT (n=1), NIV+LTOT (n=6) and high-flow nasal oxygen (n=1). PFT were performed in 9 cases (mean FEV1 34.3±9.3%), ABG in 10 cases (mean of PaCO2 46.1±9.1 mmHg), and pulse oximetry in all patients. Regarding NM patients, 6 had motor and 5 bulbar impairment; 3 were NIV-dependent; mean of TcCO2 (n=7) was 37.6±3.5 mmHg; mean vital capacity and mean peak cough flow (n=6) were 2508±1557 ml and 206±149 L/min, respectively. HMCs allowed decisions regarding therapeutic strategies in most patients, including pharmacological changes (n=10), ventilatory optimization (n=7) and de novo indication for NIV (n=5), for PEG (n=1) and for tracheostomy (n=1). Conclusion: HMCs were useful, allowing clinical evaluation and several respiratory assessments, as well as therapeutic changes and the implementation of new strategies.FootnotesCite this article as ERJ Open Research 2021; 7: Suppl. 7, 13.This is an ERS Lung Science Conference abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -