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POOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN CLINICAL SCREENING AND UNIVERSAL PRE-PROCEDURE SARS-CoV-2 PCR TESTING PRIOR TO ENDOSCOPY.

INTRODUCTION
Scientific societies recommend screening for SARS-CoV-2 in patients prior to endoscopy. There is no solid evidence regarding the efficiency of universal screening by PCR test for SARS-CoV-2. The present study aimed to assess the usefulness of clinical screening and universal pre-procedure PCR testing for the identification of patients capable of transmitting the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Concordance between both strategies was also evaluated.


METHOD
A retrospective review was conducted in a consecutive cohort of patients undergoing endoscopy at a tertiary teaching hospital between 22nd April and 22nd June 2020, following a screening protocol.


RESULTS
Three hundred and sixty-one patients were included. Clinical screening detected 13 patients with a high risk of infection (3.6%, 95% CI 2.62-4.58) while the pre-procedure PCR test was positive in five patients (1.40% 95% CI 0.20-2.60). Three patients developed COVID-19 and one died from the disease. Agreement between both strategies was poor, with a Kappa value of 0.093 (95% CI 0.001-0.185). Clinical screening only identified one of the five patients with a positive PCR test.


CONCLUSION
Clinical screening prior to endoscopy presents poor agreement with the pre-procedure PCR test.