TY - JOUR
TI - COVID-19 in the endoscopy unit: How likely is transmission of infection?
Results from an international, multicenter study
AU - Papanikolaou, Ioannis S.
AU - Tziatzios, Georgios
AU - Chatzidakis,
AU - Alexandros
AU - Facciorusso, Antonio
AU - Crino, Stefano Francesco and
AU - Gkolfakis, Paraskevas
AU - Deriban, Gjorgi
AU - Tadic, Mario
AU - Hauser,
AU - Goran
AU - Vezakis, Antonios
AU - Jovanovic, Ivan
AU - Muscatiello, Nicola
AU - and Meneghetti, Anna
AU - Miltiadou, Konstantinos
AU - Stardelova, Kalina
AU - and Lackovic, Alojzije
AU - Bourou, Maria-Zoi
AU - Djuranovic, Srdjan and
AU - Triantafyllou, Konstantinos
JO - WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY
PY - 2021
VL - 13
TODO - 9
SP - 416-425
PB - BAISHIDENG PUBLISHING GROUP INC
SN - null
TODO - 10.4253/wjge.v13.i9.416
TODO - COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Gastrointestinal endoscopy; Personal protection
measures; Transmission; Lockdown
TODO - BACKGROUND</p>
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) significantly affected endoscopy
practice, as gastrointestinal endoscopy is considered a risky procedure
for transmission of infection to patients and personnel of endoscopy
units (PEU).</p>
AIM</p>
To assess the impact of COVID-19 on endoscopy during the first European
lockdown (March-May 2020).</p>
METHODS</p>
Patients undergoing endoscopy in nine endoscopy units across six
European countries during the period of the first European lockdown for
COVID-19 (March-May 2020) were included. Prior to the endoscopy
procedure, participants were stratified as low- or high- risk for
potential COVID-19 infection according to the European Society of
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and the European Society of
Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses and Associates (ESGENA) joint
statement, and contacted 7-14 d later to assess COVID-19 infection
status. PEU were questioned regarding COVID-19 symptoms and/or infection
via questionnaire, while information regarding hospitalizations,
intensive care unit-admissions and COVID-19-related deaths were
collected. The number of weekly endoscopies at each center during the
lockdown period was also recorded.</p>
RESULTS</p>
A total of 1267 endoscopies were performed in 1222 individuals across
nine European endoscopy departments in six countries. Eighty-seven (7%)
were excluded because of initial positive testing. Of the 1135
pre-endoscopy low risk or polymerase chain reaction negative for
COVID-19, 254 (22.4%) were tested post endoscopy and 8 were eventually
found positive, resulting in an infection rate of 0.7% [(95%CI:
0.2-0.12]. The majority (6 of the 8 patients, 75%) had undergone
esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Of the 163 PEU, 5 [3%; (95%CI: 0.4-5.7)]
tested positive during the study period. A decrease of 68.7% (95%CI:
64.8-72.7) in the number of weekly endoscopies was recorded in all
centers after March 2020. All centers implemented appropriate personal
protective measures (PPM) from the initial phases of the lockdown.</p>
CONCLUSION</p>
COVID-19 transmission in endoscopy units is highly unlikely in a
lockdown setting, provided endoscopies are restricted to emergency cases
and PPM are implemented.</p>
ER -