Risk of COVID-19 transmission in esophageal, anorectal manometry, and 24-hour impedance-pH monitoring
- 1 January 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Sociedad Espanola de Patologia Digestiva (SEPD) in Revista Española de Enfermedades Digestivas
- Vol. 113 (5), 332-338
- https://doi.org/10.17235/reed.2021.7767/2020
Abstract
Background: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the interruption of most manometry or impedance-pH monitoring studies. The risk of restarting activities is unknown. Objective: assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, both to patients and healthcare workers, in relation to esophageal and anorectal functional tests during the pandemic without protective measures. Method: a questionnaire was designed to determine whether patients and healthcare workers had COVID-19, confirmed by either a test or compatible symptoms, after functional studies were performed from January until March 2020. Results: the survey was answered by 263 (92.9 %) patients. Four (1.52 %) patients had confirmed COVID-19 in the two weeks after the functional test (adjusted rate 8.34 cases per 1,000 [95 % CI -0.06-16.74], OR 0.84 [95 % CI: 0.83-0.85], p < 0.001) and no patient after anorectal manometry. Another five had only compatible symptoms, for a total of nine patients (3.42 %) (adjusted rate 27.50 cases/1,000 [95 % CI: 7.27-47.74], OR 2.84 [95 % CI: 2.81-2.87]). In the total study period, 18.25 % had confirmed COVID-19 or compatible symptoms. The average number of days between the procedure and the first day of symptoms was progressively shortened (January: 56 days, February: 33 days, March: 10.5 days). Two of ten healthcare workers (20 %) had confirmed COVID-19. Conclusions: the risk of COVID-19 infection when performing functional tests is low and more related to the evolution of the pandemic rather than to the procedure itself. The small number of healthcare workers included in the study does not allow a definitive conclusion to be drawn on their risk of infection.Keywords
This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- AGA Rapid Recommendations for Gastrointestinal Procedures During the COVID-19 PandemicGastroenterology, 2020
- Gastrointestinal Manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Virus Load in Fecal Samples From a Hong Kong Cohort: Systematic Review and Meta-analysisGastroenterology, 2020
- COVID-19 and the Risk to Health Care Workers: A Case ReportAnnals of Internal Medicine, 2020
- Evidence for Gastrointestinal Infection of SARS-CoV-2Gastroenterology, 2020
- COVID-19: Gastrointestinal Manifestations and Potential Fecal–Oral TransmissionGastroenterology, 2020
- Review article: gastrointestinal features in COVID‐19 and the possibility of faecal transmissionAlimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2020
- SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load in Upper Respiratory Specimens of Infected PatientsThe New England Journal of Medicine, 2020
- Diagnosis and Treatment of Dyssynergic DefecationJournal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, 2016
- Fecal incontinence in men: Causes and clinical and manometric featuresWorld Journal of Gastroenterology, 2014
- Prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms and the influence of age and sexScandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 2004