Comparison of Rapid Antibody Test and Thorax Computed Tomography Results
in Patients who Underwent RT-PCR with the Pre-Diagnosis of COVID-19
Abstract
Introduction: In this study, it is planned to compare the RT-PCR test,
which is the gold standard in the diagnosis of COVID-19, with Thorax
computed tomography (CT) and rapid antibody test results. Methods:
Patients who were admitted to the emergency service of İzmir Çiğli
Training and Research Hospital between 01.04.2020 and 31.05.2020 and who
were suspected of having COVID-19 infection were included in the study.
The medical records of the patients were retrospectively analyzed
through the hospital data processing database. Age, gender,
hospitalization, status of home quarantine, real-time reverse
transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), thorax CT and rapid
antibody test results of the patients were examined. The relationship
between RT-PCR, thorax CT and rapid antibody test results were compared
statistically. Results: A total of 181 patients, 115 (63.5%) male and
66 (36.5%) female, with an average age of 56.4 ± 18.06 years were
included in the study. The nasopharyngeal swab PCR result obtained at
the first admission of the patients to the emergency department was
positive in 71 (39.2%) patients. Thorax CT was performed in 173
(95.6%) patients who applied to the emergency department, and 112
(64.7%) of them had findings that could be compatible with COVID-19.
According to the thorax CT findings in patients, sensitivity,
specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive
value (NPV) for detecting COVID-19 infection were respectively; 76.1%,
43.1%, 48.2% and 72.1% (ĸ: 0.176, p <0.001). In our study,
the mortality rate for COVID-19 was found to be 2.8%. Conclusion: Rapid
antibody test and thorax CT examinations were found to have low
diagnostic value in patients who admitted to the emergency department of
our hospital and whose first RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test was positive.
Studies involving larger patient groups are needed for their use alone
in diagnosis and screening.