Asymptomatic RT-PCR positive COVID-19 patients in orthopaedic pre-operative evaluation during the peak of the second wave.
CLINICAL INFECTION IN PRACTICE 2022;
13:100131. [PMID:
35005607 PMCID:
PMC8721921 DOI:
10.1016/j.clinpr.2021.100131]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Asymptomatic COVID-19 patients are the most challenging and feared obstacles in resuming these surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the proportion of asymptomatic carriers detected by RT-PCR in pre-operative orthopaedic evaluation during the peak of the second wave.
Methods
514 asymptomtomatic COVID-19 patients, negative for TOCC (Travel, Profession, Cluster, Contact) risk factors were observed retrospectively. A nasopharyFngeal RT-PCR test was obtained 48 to 72 h before the surgery in all cases. Possible risk factors for a positive test was identified.
Results
The detected asymptomatic COVID-19 infection rate during the peak of the second wave among the pre-operative orthopaedic patients was 12.3%. Younger age, female gender, longer duration of admission to RT-PCR test interval were found to be significant (p= < 0.05) risk factors for asymptomatic RT-PCR to be positive. The hazard ratio (HR) for being asymptomatic RT-PCR positive was 4.3 (p = 0. 025), while the RT-PCR was performed at 14 days, but the HR increased to 9.2 (p = 0.049) when the test was performed after 45 days.
Conclusion
According to our findings, pre-operative testing to rule out COVID-19 should be regarded as a critical step in preventing the disease clusters in hospitals.
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