Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34245806›Full record

SynthesisThe Journal of hospital infection2021

Are medical procedures that induce coughing or involve respiratory suctioning associated with increased generation of aerosols and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection? A rapid systematic review.

J Wilson, G Carson, S Fitzgerald, M J Llewelyn, D Jenkins, S Parker, A Boies, J Thomas, K Sutcliffe, A J Sowden and 5 more

Open access · bronzeAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Journal of hospital infection, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.9field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. 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

15 authors at 10 institutions in 1 country.

J WilsonRichard Wells Research Centre, University of West London, London, UK. Electronic address: jennie.wilson@uwl.ac.uk.
G CarsonCentre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
S FitzgeraldDepartment of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
M J LlewelynBrighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
D JenkinsUniversity Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
S ParkerDefence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK.
A BoiesDepartment of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
J ThomasEPPI-Centre, Social Research Institute, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK.
K SutcliffeEPPI-Centre, Social Research Institute, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK.
A J SowdenCentre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York, York, UK.
A O'Mara-EvesEPPI-Centre, Social Research Institute, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK.
C StansfieldEPPI-Centre, Social Research Institute, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK.
E HarrissBodleian Health Care Libraries, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
J ReillyResearch Centre for Health (ReaCH), Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.
members of the Independent High Risk AGP Review Panel
University College London · GBUniversity of Cambridge · GBBrighton and Sussex Medical School · GBDefence Science and Technology Laboratory · GBGlasgow Caledonian University · GBJohn Radcliffe Hospital · GBUniversity Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust · GBUniversity of Oxford · GBUniversity of West London · GBUniversity of York · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from aerosols generated by medical procedures is a cause for concern.

aimTo evaluate the evidence for aerosol production and transmission of respiratory infection associated with procedures that involve airway suctioning or induce coughing/sneezing.

methodsThe review was informed by PRISMA guidelines. Searches were conducted in PubMed for studies published between January 1

findingsEighteen primary studies and two systematic reviews were included. Three epidemiological studies found no association between nasogastric tube insertion and acquisition of respiratory infections. One simulation study found low/very low production of aerosols associated with pulmonary lung function tests. Seven simulation studies of endoscopic sinus surgery suggested significant increases in aerosols but findings were inconsistent; two clinical studies found airborne particles associated with the use of microdebriders/drills. Some simulation studies did not use robust measures to detect particles and are difficult to equate to clinical conditions.

conclusionThere was an absence of evidence to suggest that the procedures included in the review were associated with an increased risk of transmission of respiratory infection. In order to better target precautions to mitigate risk, more research is required to determine the characteristics of medical procedures and patients that increase the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Indexed as

AerosolsCOVID-19Air MicrobiologyHumansRespiratory Physiological PhenomenaSARS-CoV-2AerosolsAerosol-generating procedureEpidemiologyLung function testNasendoscopyRespiratory infectionSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID34245806
PMCPMC8264274
OpenAlexW3178801762

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.