Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34642658›Full record

ArticleInfection prevention in practice2021

Isolation precautions cause minor delays in diagnostics and treatment of non-COVID patients.

J Paajanen, L K Mäkinen, A Suikkila, M Rehell, M Javanainen, A Lindahl, E Kekäläinen, S Kurkela, K Halmesmäki, V-J Anttila and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Infection prevention in practice, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 45% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

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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

11 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

J PaajanenDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Heart and Lung Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00029, Helsinki, Finland.
L K MäkinenDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Heart and Lung Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00029, Helsinki, Finland.
A SuikkilaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00029, Helsinki, Finland.
M RehellDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00029, Helsinki, Finland.
M JavanainenMeilahti University Hospital, Adnominal Center, HUS, Haartmaninkatu 4, Helsinki P.O. Box 340, FIN-00029, Helsinki, Finland.
A LindahlDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Heart and Lung Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00029, Helsinki, Finland.
E KekäläinenHUS Diagnostic Center, HUSLAB, Clinical Microbiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
S KurkelaHUS Diagnostic Center, HUSLAB, Clinical Microbiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
K HalmesmäkiDepartment of Vascular Surgery, Abdominal Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00029, Helsinki, Finland.
V-J AnttilaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Inflammatory Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, HUS, 00029, Finland.
S LamminmäkiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00029, Helsinki, Finland.
University of Helsinki · FIHelsinki University Hospital · FIHerttoniemi Hospital · FI

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIsolation precautions are essential prevent spread of COVID-19 infection but may have a negative impact on inpatient care. The impact of these measures on non-COVID-19 patients remains largely unexplored.

aimThis study aimed to investigate diagnostic and treatment delays related to isolation precautions, the associated patient outcome, and the predisposing risk factors for delays.

methodsThis observational study was conducted in seven Helsinki region hospitals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland. The study used data on all non-COVID-19 inpatients, who were initially isolated due to suspected COVID-19, to estimate whether isolation precautions resulted in diagnostic or treatment delays.

resultsOut of 683 non-COVID-19 patients, 33 (4.8%) had delays related to isolation precautions. Clinical condition deteriorated non-fatally in seven (1.0%) patients. The following events were associated with an increased risk of treatment or a diagnostic delay: more than three ward transfers (

conclusionsThe use of isolation precautions for patients who did not have COVID-19 had minor negative effects on patient outcomes. The present study underlines the importance of targeting diagnostic efforts to patients with unspecified symptoms and to those with a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result. Thorough investigations to achieve an accurate diagnosis improves the prognosis of patients and facilitates appropriate targeting of hospital resources.

Indexed as

COVID-19Isolation precautionNon-COVID-19Patient outcomeTreatment delay

Identifiers

PMID34642658
PMCPMC8492011
OpenAlexW3204350101

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.