Incidence of COVID-19 after pulmonary function tests: a retrospective cohort study

Incidence of COVID-19 after pulmonary function tests: a retrospective cohort study

It has been proposed that exposure to pulmonary function tests (PFT) could be associated with a higher risk of viral transmission. The risk of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission after performing PFT is unknown. We aimed to assess the incidence  of COVID-19 after a PFT at an academi...

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Published in:Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Medicas (Cordoba, Argentina) Vol. 78; no. 4; pp. 367 - 370
Main Authors: Wainstein, Esteban Javier, Peroni, Hector Jose, Ferreyro, Bruno Leonel, Staneloni, Maria Ines, Marcos, Miriam Gabriela, Wolfgor, Alejandro, Aliperti, Valeria Ines, Castro, Horacio Matias
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Argentina Universidad Nacional de Córdoba 28-12-2021
Subjects:
Adult
aerosol spray
Artículos Originales
biosecurity
COVID-19
Female
Humans
Incidence
Lung
Middle Aged
Respiratory Function Tests
Retrospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
biosecurity
SARS CoV-2
Respiratory Function Tests
aerosol spray
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Summary:It has been proposed that exposure to pulmonary function tests (PFT) could be associated with a higher risk of viral transmission. The risk of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission after performing PFT is unknown. We aimed to assess the incidence  of COVID-19 after a PFT at an academic teaching facility in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We conducted a retrospective cohort study including all consecutive adult patients that performed PFT between April 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020. Patients with prior COVID-19 were excluded. We defined a 15-day time window to  ascertain PFT related COVID-19. The primary outcome was ascertained by consulting a national database, which has information on all patients with nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 in Argentina. We included 278 patients who performed a PFT. Fifty percent were women, the mean age was 54 years (SD 18), and the main comorbidities were obesity (31%), smoking (31%), hypertension (29%), and chronic lung disease (28%). The main indication for performing PFT was anesthetic preoperative risk assessment. Swabs were collected from 27 patients (10%). Twenty-two swabs (8%) were taken according to surgical protocols; five swabs (2%) were taken due to clinical suspicion of COVID-19, with only one testing positive. The cumulative incidence of COVID-19 after PFT was 0.36% (95% CI 0.01-20%). None of the technicians developed symptomatic disease. Given the right setting and strict adherence to international recommendations, the SARS-CoV-2 infection after having a PFT appears to be low, which follows that these procedures can be performed safely for both patients and staff.
ISSN:0014-6722
1853-0605
DOI:10.31053/1853.0605.v78.n4.34351