SARS-CoV-2 serology increases diagnostic accuracy in CT-suspected, PCR-negative COVID-19 patients during pandemic

Bibliographic Details
Title: SARS-CoV-2 serology increases diagnostic accuracy in CT-suspected, PCR-negative COVID-19 patients during pandemic
Authors: Jochen Schneider, Hrvoje Mijočević, Kurt Ulm, Bernhard Ulm, Simon Weidlich, Silvia Würstle, Kathrin Rothe, Matthias Treiber, Roman Iakoubov, Ulrich Mayr, Tobias Lahmer, Sebastian Rasch, Alexander Herner, Egon Burian, Fabian Lohöfer, Rickmer Braren, Marcus R. Makowski, Roland M. Schmid, Ulrike Protzer, Christoph Spinner, Fabian Geisler
Source: Respiratory Research, Vol 22, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2021)
Publisher Information: BMC, 2021.
Publication Year: 2021
Collection: LCC:Diseases of the respiratory system
Subject Terms: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Serology, Computed tomography, Efficacy, Accuracy, Diseases of the respiratory system, RC705-779
More Details: Abstract Background In the absence of PCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 is challenging. Low-dose computed tomography (CT) detects pulmonary infiltrates with high sensitivity, but findings may be non-specific. This study assesses the diagnostic value of SARS-CoV-2 serology for patients with distinct CT features but negative PCR. Methods IgM/IgG chemiluminescent immunoassay was performed for 107 patients with confirmed (group A: PCR + ; CT ±) and 46 patients with suspected (group B: repetitive PCR-; CT +) COVID-19, admitted to a German university hospital during the pandemic’s first wave. A standardized, in-house CT classification of radiological signs of a viral pneumonia was used to assess the probability of COVID-19. Results Seroconversion rates (SR) determined on day 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 after symptom onset (SO) were 8%, 25%, 65%, 76% and 91% for group A, and 0%, 10%, 19%, 37% and 46% for group B, respectively; (p 14 days after symptom onset (group B), clinico-radiological consensus reassessment revealed probable diagnoses other than COVID-19. Sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 serology was superior to PCR > 17d after symptom onset. Conclusions Approximately one-third of patients with distinct COVID-19 CT findings are tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by PCR rendering correct diagnosis difficult. Implementation of SARS-CoV-2 serology testing alongside current CT/PCR-based diagnostic algorithms improves discrimination between COVID-19-related and non-related pulmonary infiltrates in PCR negative patients. However, sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 serology strongly depends on the time of testing and becomes superior to PCR after the 2nd week following symptom onset.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1465-993X
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/1465-993X
DOI: 10.1186/s12931-021-01717-9
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/77860c5d2654411faac49b33fec1b35d
Accession Number: edsdoj.77860c5d2654411faac49b33fec1b35d
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:1465993X
DOI:10.1186/s12931-021-01717-9
Published in:Respiratory Research
Language:English