Estimate and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients
Objectives: To estimate SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients and explore factors associated with delayed negative conversion. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the COVID-19 unit of a tertiary care center in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Reverse...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2022;volume=11;issue=5;spage=1890;epage=1897;aulast=Aljunaid |
| _version_ | 1811243352427855872 |
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| author | Mohammed A Aljunaid Abdulrahman M Albeshry Najim Z Alshahrani Samaher S Barabie |
| author_facet | Mohammed A Aljunaid Abdulrahman M Albeshry Najim Z Alshahrani Samaher S Barabie |
| author_sort | Mohammed A Aljunaid |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: To estimate SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients and explore factors associated with delayed negative conversion. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the COVID-19 unit of a tertiary care center in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed COVID-19 patients diagnosed between April 1 and June 30, 2020, were considered. The primary outcome was the time (days) from disease onset to first negative RT-PCR, which was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression survival methods. Demographic data, clinical history, baseline clinical, radiological and laboratory findings and management, and outcome data were collected and analyzed as factors associated with the viral RNA clearance time. Results: One hundred and forty-four patients were included. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 36.93 (14.41) years, 50.7% were females, and 45.1% were healthcare workers. COVID19 was asymptomatic, mild and moderate in 11.1%, 71.5% and 17.4% of the participants, respectively. Fever (59.4%) and cough (58.0%) were the dominant onset symptoms. The mean viral RNA clearance time was 22.9 days (SD = 8.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 21.5–24.3 days). Extended clearance time was associated with older age (mean = 24.0 vs. 22.0 days; log-rank = 0.037), married status (23.2 vs. 22.6 days; log-rank = 0.021), working in health sector (24.2 vs. 21.8 days; log-rank = 0.006), and having a chronic disease (24.8 vs. 21.9 days; log-rank = 0.028), compared to their counterparts, respectively. In the adjusted model, the job sector was the only factor that was independently associated with clearance time. Non-healthcare sector showed hazard ratio 1.8 (95% CI = 1.3–2.7; log-rank = 0.002) with reference to healthcare sector. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time is likely to be longer in non-severe COVID-19 patients, representing an additional risk for the virus dissemination among the community and calling for higher caution among the population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T14:05:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c51cceba085e471ea2fbc7320b8e830e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2249-4863 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T14:05:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-c51cceba085e471ea2fbc7320b8e830e2022-12-22T03:30:05ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632022-01-011151890189710.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1841_21Estimate and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patientsMohammed A AljunaidAbdulrahman M AlbeshryNajim Z AlshahraniSamaher S BarabieObjectives: To estimate SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients and explore factors associated with delayed negative conversion. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the COVID-19 unit of a tertiary care center in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed COVID-19 patients diagnosed between April 1 and June 30, 2020, were considered. The primary outcome was the time (days) from disease onset to first negative RT-PCR, which was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression survival methods. Demographic data, clinical history, baseline clinical, radiological and laboratory findings and management, and outcome data were collected and analyzed as factors associated with the viral RNA clearance time. Results: One hundred and forty-four patients were included. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 36.93 (14.41) years, 50.7% were females, and 45.1% were healthcare workers. COVID19 was asymptomatic, mild and moderate in 11.1%, 71.5% and 17.4% of the participants, respectively. Fever (59.4%) and cough (58.0%) were the dominant onset symptoms. The mean viral RNA clearance time was 22.9 days (SD = 8.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 21.5–24.3 days). Extended clearance time was associated with older age (mean = 24.0 vs. 22.0 days; log-rank = 0.037), married status (23.2 vs. 22.6 days; log-rank = 0.021), working in health sector (24.2 vs. 21.8 days; log-rank = 0.006), and having a chronic disease (24.8 vs. 21.9 days; log-rank = 0.028), compared to their counterparts, respectively. In the adjusted model, the job sector was the only factor that was independently associated with clearance time. Non-healthcare sector showed hazard ratio 1.8 (95% CI = 1.3–2.7; log-rank = 0.002) with reference to healthcare sector. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time is likely to be longer in non-severe COVID-19 patients, representing an additional risk for the virus dissemination among the community and calling for higher caution among the population.http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2022;volume=11;issue=5;spage=1890;epage=1897;aulast=Aljunaidclearancecovid-19healthcarenegativernart-pcrsars-cov-2 |
| spellingShingle | Mohammed A Aljunaid Abdulrahman M Albeshry Najim Z Alshahrani Samaher S Barabie Estimate and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care clearance covid-19 healthcare negative rna rt-pcr sars-cov-2 |
| title | Estimate and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients |
| title_full | Estimate and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients |
| title_fullStr | Estimate and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimate and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients |
| title_short | Estimate and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance time among non-severe COVID-19 patients |
| title_sort | estimate and determinants of sars cov 2 rna clearance time among non severe covid 19 patients |
| topic | clearance covid-19 healthcare negative rna rt-pcr sars-cov-2 |
| url | http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2022;volume=11;issue=5;spage=1890;epage=1897;aulast=Aljunaid |
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