COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test: Role in Screening Prior to Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
- Author:
Ashok DALAL
1
;
Ujjwal SONIKA
;
Manish KUMAR
;
Roshan GEORGE
;
Ajay KUMAR
;
Siddharth SRIVASTAVA
;
Sanjeev SACHDEVA
;
Barjesh Chander SHARMA
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Clinical Endoscopy 2021;54(4):522-525
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background/Aims:The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic has affected the gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy units globally owing to the risk of transmission. We present our data on the use of rapid antigen test (RAT) as a screening tool prior to endoscopy to prevent the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Methods:This study was a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent any GI endoscopic procedure from July 2020 to October 2020 at a tertiary referral center in New Delhi, India. All patients underwent screening for COVID-19 using RAT, and endoscopy was performed only when the RAT was negative. The data are presented as numbers and percentages.
Results:A total of 3,002 endoscopic procedures were performed during the study period. Only one endoscopic procedure was performed in a COVID-19 positive patient. A total of 53 healthcare workers were involved in conducting these procedures. Only 2 healthcare workers (3.8%) were diagnosed COVID-19 positive, presumably due to community-acquired infection, during this period.
Conclusions:The COVID-19 RAT is easily usable as a simple screening tool prior to GI endoscopy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
