COVID-19 and Pleural Drainage: Is SARS-CoV-2 Present?
Author Information
Author(s): Turut Hasan, Ozcelik Neslihan, Copur Cicek Aysegul, Tuluce Kerim, Sevilgen Gokcen, Sakin Mustafa, Erdivanli Basar, Klisic Aleksandra, Mercantepe Filiz
Primary Institution: Recep Tayyip Erdogan University
Hypothesis
Does SARS-CoV-2 RNA exist in pleural drainage fluid from COVID-19 patients?
Conclusion
The study found no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in pleural drainage fluids, suggesting low transmission risk during tube thoracostomy.
Supporting Evidence
- All pleural drainage specimens from 21 COVID-19 patients tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
- Patients with pleural effusion had a higher incidence of ICU admissions.
- Significant radiological anomalies were more common in patients with pneumothorax.
Takeaway
Doctors checked if the COVID-19 virus was in the fluid from patients' lungs, but they found it wasn't there, meaning it's likely safe to do the procedure.
Methodology
A single-center prospective cross-sectional analysis using RT-PCR to test pleural fluids from COVID-19 patients.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the limited number of patients and exclusion criteria.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and may not represent all COVID-19 patients.
Participant Demographics
Average age 57 years, 28.5% female, 71.5% male.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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