The sensitivity of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been questioned due to negative results in some patients who were strongly suspected of having coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of our study was to analyze the prognosis of infected patients with initial negative RT-PCR in the emergency department (ED) during the COVID-19 outbreak. This study included two cohorts of adult inpatients admitted into the ED. All patients who were suspected to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and who underwent a typical chest CT imaging were included. Thus, we studied two distinct cohorts: patients with positive RT-PCR (PCR+) and those with negative initial RT-PCR (PCR–). The data were analyzed using Bayesian methods. We included 66 patients in the PCR– group and 198 in the PCR+ group. The baseline characteristics did not differ except in terms of a proportion of lower chronic respiratory disease in the PCR– group. We noted a less severe clinical presentation in the PCR– group (lower respiratory rate, lower oxygen need and mechanical ventilation requirement). Hospital mortality (9.1% vs. 9.6%) did not differ between the two groups. Despite an initially less serious clinical presentation, the mortality of patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 with a negative RT-PCR did not differ from those with positive RT-PCR.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Clinical management, Bayesian analysis, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, SARS-CoV-2, Mortality, Prognosis, mechanical ventilation, oxygen, RT-PCR, sensitivity, Cohort, Hospital mortality, Chest CT, COVID-19 outbreak, Patient, positive RT-PCR, respiratory rate, Inpatient, two groups, baseline characteristics, Bayesian methods, chronic respiratory disease, transcriptase, negative RT-PCR, polymerase chain, initial, not differ, analyzed, proportion, less, infected patient, infected with SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 RT-PCR, clinical, imaging, negative, Typical,