Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36494675›Full record

Observational studyBMC health services research2022

How to design and implement a university-based COVID-19 testing programme? An evaluation of a novel RT-LAMP COVID-19 testing programme in a UK university.

Claire Blackmore, Gareth W Hall, Rebecca C Allsopp, Anna L Hansell, Caroline M Cowley, Ruth C Barber, Christopher W Holmes, Martin D Tobin, Jacqui A Shaw, Nigel J Brunskill and 1 more

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC health services research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Claire BlackmoreCentre for Environmental Health and Sustainability, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK. Claire.blackmore@nhs.net.
Gareth W HallCollege of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Rebecca C AllsoppDepartment of Genetics and Genome Biology, Leicester Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Anna L HansellCentre for Environmental Health and Sustainability, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
Caroline M CowleyLeicester Molecular Diagnostics, Leicester Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Ruth C BarberLeicester Precision Medicine Institute, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Christopher W HolmesUniversity Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
Martin D TobinGenetic Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Jacqui A ShawDepartment of Genetics and Genome Biology, Leicester Cancer Research Centre, Translational Cancer Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Nigel J BrunskillDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Philip N BakerResearch & Enterprise, Fielding Johnson Building, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MC_PC_18054Medical Research Council MC_PC_19004
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLittle is known about how asymptomatic testing as a method to control transmission of COVID-19 can be implemented, and the prevalence of asymptomatic infection within university populations. The objective of this study was to investigate how to effectively set-up and implement a COVID-19 testing programme using novel reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) technology and to quantify the scale of asymptomatic infection on a university campus.

methodsAn observational study to describe the set-up and implementation of a novel COVID-19 testing programme on a UK university campus between September and December 2020. RT-LAMP testing was used to identify asymptomatic cases.

resultsA total of 1,673 tests were performed using RT-LAMP during the study period, of which 9 were positive for COVID-19, giving an overall positivity rate of 0.54%, equivalent to a rate in the tested population of 538 cases per 100,000 over the duration of testing. All positive tests were found to be positive on RT-PCR testing, giving a false positive rate of 0%.

conclusionsThis study shows that it is possible to rapidly setup a universal university testing programme for COVID-19 in collaboration with local healthcare providers using RT-LAMP testing. Positive results were comparable to those in the local population, though with a different peak of infection. Further research to inform the design of the testing programme includes focus groups of those who underwent testing and further interrogation of the demographics of those opting to be tested to identify potential access problems or inequalities.

Indexed as

COVID-19COVID-19 TestingAsymptomatic InfectionsHumansMolecular Diagnostic TechniquesNucleic Acid Amplification TechniquesSARS-CoV-2Sensitivity and SpecificityUnited KingdomCOVID-19EducationLAMP testingMass testingUniversity

Identifiers

PMID36494675
PMCPMC9733160

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.