Challenges of following patients with inherited metabolic diseases during the COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-sectional online survey study.

Background There has been a recent worldwide outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Most of the health system capacity has been directed to COVID-19 patients, and routine outpatient clinics have been suspended. Chronic disease patients, such as inherited metabolic disorders (IMD), have had trouble accessing healthcare services. Methods An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients with IMDs who were present for a follow-up at our clinic to address their problems during pandemic period. Our clinic's Instagram and Facebook accounts were used to invite the participants. Three reminders were given between May 1, 2020, and May 30, 2020. Survey questions were analyzed using descriptive statics. Results A total of 213 patients completed our survey. Incomplete surveys were excluded, and 175 questionnaires were evaluated. Most of patients had a special diet, and 51% of them had some difficulty with their diet. The reported rate of using a special treatment was 38%, and most of these patients (91%) had no problem receiving these special therapies during this time. Parents who were wearing masks while caring for their child were very few (17%), but a vast majority of parents (73.7%) had high handwashing rates. None of the patients had a SARS-COV2 infection until this paper was written. Conclusion This is the first study that aims to determine the problems faced by patients with IMD during the COVID-19 period. Considering that the pandemic will not immediately pass, recognizing the problems faced by patients with chronic diseases and developing solutions would help these patients avoid long-term damage.