P15 Admission avoidance in acute epistaxis: a prospective national audit during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION: In March 2020, UK epistaxis guidelines were issued incorporating major shifts in standard practice, namely the recommended use of dissolvable products and discharge of patients with non-dissolvable packs. The aim of this audit was to assess patient outcomes following epistaxis care during the initial COVID-19 peak, exploring factors relating to unscheduled re-presentations. METHODS: A UK-wide prospective multicentre national audit was performed over 12-weeks from 6th April 2020 at ENT departments treating adults with epistaxis. The primary outcome was re-presentation within 10-days. Univariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant determinants of the primary outcome measure. RESULTS: 83 centres from all four UK nations submitted 2,631 cases, the majority of which were Emergency Department (ED) referrals (89.7%). ENT clinicians used a dissolvable intranasal product in 34.7% of patients overall (n = 816/2,351), and in 61.1% of those receiving an intranasal product (n = 816/1,336). 54.6% were discharged from the ED following ENT review. The overall re-presentation rate was 19.5% for ED discharges (n = 245/1,259) and 9.9% for ED admissions (n = 104/1,046). 6.8% of ED discharges and 5.7% of ED admissions were admitted following their re-presentations (n = 86 and 60 respectively). Not being packed by ED clinicians, antiplatelet medications, failed cautery and recent epistaxis treatment were predictors of re-presentation within 10-days. DISCUSSION: Re-presentation data were similar to the 2016 UK Epistaxis Audit, however, there was a notable shift towards alternative packing techniques and reduced admission. This highlights that many patients who would previously have necessitated admission may be safely discharged from ED.