The relationship between positivity for COVID-19 RT-PCR and symptoms, clinical findings, and mortality in Turkey

Abstract

Introduction : This study aimed to assess the correlation between nucleic acid amplification test (real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, RT-PCR) positivity of patients presenting with suspected COVID-19 and pneumonic infiltration consistent with COVID-19-specific pneumonia diagnosis on thoracic computed tomography (CT), with symptoms, laboratory findings, and clinical progression. Methods : The study included 286 patients (female:male 131:155; mean age, 53.3 ± 17.9 years) who were divided into two groups according to their RT-PCR test results. The symptoms, laboratory examinations, clinical findings, and thoracic CT imaging of the patients were evaluated. Results : While the physical examination, comorbidities, and total CT scores were similar between the groups, taste/smell abnormalities were observed more frequently in the PCR-positive group. The use of moxifloxacin, lopinavir/ritonavir, and tocilizumab was higher in the PCR-positive group (p = 0.016, p < 0.001, and p = 0.002, respectively). The duration of hospitalization, intensive care requirement, and mortality rate of the studied groups did not differ between the groups. Conclusions : Among patients presenting with suspected COVID-19 and pneumonic infiltration consistent with COVID-19 on thoracic CT, the symptoms, physical examination, total CT scores, duration of hospitalization, intensive care requirement, and mortality rate were similar between RT-PCR-positive and RT-PCR-negative patients. However, PCR-positive patients appeared to require more specific treatments.

Experience of Treating COVID-19 With Remdesivir and Convalescent Plasma in a Resource-Limited Setting: A Prospective, Observational Study

“…A quarter of the patients were health care workers. These demographic findings are comparable to the experiences shared by other investigators [ 11 , 12 ]. This is the first published study describing advanced and organized treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in this country.…”

Chest computed tomography and COVID-19 RT-PCR: The tale of two diagnostic tests in a resource-limited setting

“…In the first study evaluating mortality from the Central Asia and Eurasia regions, Gaipov et al [5] reported that positive RT-PCR cases had a twofold higher risk of mortality than negative counterparts. In contrast, in a study from Turkey, Ozcan et al [6] reported that among patients with suspected COVID-19 and positive CT findings, mortality rates were not statistically different between RT-PCR positive and RT-PCR negative patients. Moreover, the literature suggests that chest CT severity is correlated with disease severity and mortality in COVID-19 [7][8][9].…”

“…Patients with viral pneumonia may have a negative RT-PCR test [2,3], and conversely, patients with a COVID-19 infection may have a normal chest CT [4]. Moreover, previous literature reports a wide variety of results regarding the association between RT-PCR and chest CT results with hospitalization and mortality [5][6][7][8][9].…”

Correlation between clinical symptomatology and RT-PCR results in the diagnosis of COVID-19: An analysis using routine data in Burkina Faso

“…Some authors had already reported similar results. Ozcan et al in Turkey 28 found a highly significant correlation between the presence of anosmia and/or aguesia in a patient and RT-PCR positivity. Anosmia/aguesia, fever, and myalgia were the strongest independent predictors of positive RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 in the study by Fan-Yun et al among healthcare workers in the United States.…”