Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34118895›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2021

Comparison between RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 and expanded triage in sputum of symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 subjects in Ecuador.

Ariel Torres, Martha Fors, Tamaris Rivero, Karina Pantoja, Santiago Ballaz

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ariel TorresMedicina General Integral, Máster en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Gineco-obstétrico Nueva Aurora Luz Elena Arismendi, Quito, Ecuador.
Martha ForsEscuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Redondel del Ciclista, Antigua Via a Nayón, Universidad de las Américas, 170125, Quito, Ecuador. martha.fors@udla.edu.ec.
Tamaris RiveroMedicina General Integral, Hospital General Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Santo Domingo, Ecuador.
Karina PantojaEnfermería, Hospital General Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Santo Domingo, Ecuador.
Santiago BallazEscuela de Ciencias Biológicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Yachay Tech, Hacienda San José s/n, San Miguel de Urcuquí, Ibarra, Ecuador.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) effectively detects the SARS-COV-2 virus. SARS-CoV-2 Nevertheless, some critical gaps remain in the identification and monitoring of asymptomatic people.

methodsThis retrospective study included 733 asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 subjects, who were submitted to the RT-qPCR test. The objective was to assess the efficacy of an expanded triage of subjects undergoing the RT-qPCR test for SARS-COV-2 to identify the largest possible number of COVID-19 cases in a hospital setting in Ecuador. SARS-CoV-2 Firstly, the sensitivity and specificity as well as the predictive values of an expanded triage method were calculated. In addition, the Kappa coefficient was also determined to assess the concordance between laboratory test results and the expanded triage.

resultsOf a total of 733 sputum samples; 229 were RT-qPCR-positive (31.2%) and mortality rate reached 1.2%. Overall sensitivity and specificity were 86.0% (95% confidence interval: 81.0-90.0%) and 37.0% (95% confidence interval: 32.0-41.0%) respectively, with a diagnostic accuracy of 52.0% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.73. An association between the positivity of the test and its performance before 10 days was found.

conclusionsThe clinical sensitivity for COVID-19 detection was within acceptable standards, but the specificity still fell below the values of reference. The lack of symptoms did not always mean to have a negative SARS-COV-2 RT-qPCR test. The expanded triage identified a still unnoticed percentage of asymptomatic subjects showing positive results for the SARS-COV-2 RT-qPCR test. The study also revealed a significant relationship between the number of RT-qPCR-positive cases and the performance of the molecular diagnosis within the first 10 days of COVID-19 in the symptomatic group.

Indexed as

COVID-19 TestingReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionSARS-CoV-2COVID-19EcuadorHumansRetrospective StudiesSensitivity and SpecificitySputumTriageCOVID-19RT-qPCRSARS-CoV-2;sensitivitySpecificity

Identifiers

PMID34118895
PMCPMC8195713

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