Implementing SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Testing in the Emergency Ward of a Swiss University Hospital: The INCREASE Study

• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040798
• Publication Date: 2021-04-12T09:52:00Z
• Authors: Giorgia Caruana; Antony Croxatto; Eleftheria Kampouri; Antonios Kritikos; Onya Opota; Maryline Foerster; René Brouillet; Laurence Senn; Reto Lienhard; Adrian Egli; Giuseppe Pantaleo; Pierre-Nicolas Ca...; Gilbert Greub
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; emergency ward; 0303 health sciences; SARS-CoV-2; QH301-705.5; Article; COVID-19 diagnostic testing; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; health plan implementation; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 diagnostic testing; rapid antigen test; health plan implementation; nucleocapsid protein; emergency ward; rapid antigen test; Biology (General); nucleocapsid protein

Following the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) authorization rapid antigen test (RAT), we implemented use RAT in emergency ward our university hospital for patients’ cohorting. triaging association with RT-PCR allowed us to promptly isolate positive patients and save resources. Among 532 patients, overall sensitivities were 48.3% Exdia 41.2% Standard Q®, PanbioTM BD Veritor™. All RATs exhibited specificity above 99%. Sensitivity increased 74.6%, 66.2%, 66.2% 64.8% Exdia, Veritor™, respectively, viral loads 105 copies/mL, 100%, 97.8%, 96.6% 95.6% 106 copies/mL 100% 107 copies/mL. was significantly higher symptoms onset within four days (74.3%, 69.2%, 69.2% 64%, respectively) versus evolution longer than (36.8%, 21.1%, 21.1% 23.7%, respectively). COVID-19 asymptomatic sensitivity 33%. Immunoglobulin-A-positive resulted negative RAT. The might represent a useful resource selected clinical settings as complementary tool patient triaging, but lower sensitivity, especially late presenters subjects, must be taken into account.