Point of Care Testing for SARS-COV-2 Antibodies before doing Endoscopy

COVID-19 has taken the world by storm, creating much disparity among both healthcare and non-healthcare centres regarding the provision of services. The purpose of our study was to see the prevalence of the SARS-COV-2 exposure in the asymptomatic patients undergoing the endoscopic procedure, already triaged based on history and examination.

Total 207 patients were enrolled during a time period of five months during October 2020 to April 2021 at Dr. Ziauddin Hospital Clifton campus, Karachi. In this prospective observational study patients undergoing endoscopic procedures were included after taking informed consent. The patients who already tested positive for COVID-19 by PCR were excluded. Patients were tested for Covid serology by immunochromatographic rapid serology test (ICT). Standard Operating Procedures for dealing with endoscopy patients during the COVID era were followed in all patients irrespective of antibody status.

Total number of patients included was 207; males were 121 (58.5%). The mean age was 48.5 ± 17.55 (range 13 to 92). Forty eight patients (23.2%) were positive for either antibody suggesting exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Out of these combined IgM and IgG positivity was seen in 24 (11.5%), IgM mono antibody positivity was seen in 7 (3.38%) and 17 (8.21%) of the study population tested positive for IgG only. 15 out of 46 (32.6%) patients with chronic liver disease in the cohort were seropositive for COVID antibodies.

About one-fourth of the patients undergoing the endoscopic procedure were tested positive for COVID antibodies of which a significant percentage had chronic liver disease. It stresses the need of observing standard precautions to prevent the spread of infection during these procedures, especially in the vulnerable population.