Background Studies of outpatients with mild or moderate COVID-19 are uncommon. We studied: 1) association of symptoms with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results; and 2) association of initial RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) in relation to duration of RT-PCR positivity in outpatients with mild or moderate COVID-19. Methods This was a cohort study of outpatients with confirmed COVID-19 and at least one symptom. Participants had repeat nasopharyngeal swabs and symptom checklists every 3–5 days until two consecutive RT-PCR tests were negative. RT-PCR tests were used to assess viral load. Antibody tests for COVID-19 were performed at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after symptom onset. Results Twenty-five patients (nine females) were enrolled, ranging in age from 19–58 (median age 28 years). All patients reported at least one symptom, with a median of six symptoms per patient. Symptoms persisted for 6–67 days (median duration 18 days). In all 25 patients, blood samples collected a median of 13 days after symptom onset were positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 15 (60%). After a median of 28 days following symptom onset, 23/23 patients with available samples tested positive for antibodies. The longest duration of positive RT-PCR test was 49 days from first positive PCR test (Mean = 27.4, SD = 12.5, Median = 24). Initial Ct was significantly associated with longer duration (β = -1.3, SE = 0.3, p<0.01 per 1 cycle higher) of RT-PCR positivity. Conclusions In mildly or moderately ill COVID-19 outpatients, RT-PCT tests remained positive for as long as 49 days and test positivity and symptom duration correlated with initial viral load.
【초록키워드】 COVID-19, antibodies, Symptom, RT-PCR, Moderate COVID-19, cohort study, Nasopharyngeal swab, polymerase chain reaction, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, SARS-CoV-2 antibody, Viral load, symptom duration, cycle threshold, nasopharyngeal swabs, antibody tests, Patient, Mild, age, outpatients, PCR test, patients, association, positive RT-PCR, Outpatient, RT-PCR test, reverse transcriptase, Chain Reaction, 49 days, symptom onset, RT-PCR tests, Blood samples, median age, blood sample, participant, positive, transcriptase, COVID-19 outpatients, females, first positive, polymerase chain, initial, initial viral load, Result, enrolled, tested, performed, collected, significantly, reported, remained, nine, median, were used, correlated, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, Characteristics, symptomatic, clinical,