COVID-19 in the endoscopy unit: How likely is transmission of infection? Results from an international, multicenter study.

COVID-19 Gastrointestinal endoscopy Lockdown Personal protection measures SARS-CoV-2 Transmission

Journal

World journal of gastrointestinal endoscopy
ISSN: 1948-5190
Titre abrégé: World J Gastrointest Endosc
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101532474

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
16 Sep 2021
Historique:
received: 25 02 2021
revised: 27 04 2021
accepted: 21 07 2021
entrez: 11 10 2021
pubmed: 12 10 2021
medline: 12 10 2021
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

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). To assess the impact of COVID-19 on endoscopy during the first European lockdown (March-May 2020). 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 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. COVID-19 transmission in endoscopy units is highly unlikely in a lockdown setting, provided endoscopies are restricted to emergency cases and PPM are implemented.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
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).
AIM OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of COVID-19 on endoscopy during the first European lockdown (March-May 2020).
METHODS METHODS
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
RESULTS RESULTS
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.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
COVID-19 transmission in endoscopy units is highly unlikely in a lockdown setting, provided endoscopies are restricted to emergency cases and PPM are implemented.

Identifiants

pubmed: 34630891
doi: 10.4253/wjge.v13.i9.416
pmc: PMC8474700
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

416-425

Informations de copyright

©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicting interests.

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Auteurs

Ioannis S Papanikolaou (IS)

Hepatogastroenterology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University General Hospital, Athens 12462, Greece.

Georgios Tziatzios (G)

Hepatogastroenterology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University General Hospital, Athens 12462, Greece.

Alexandros Chatzidakis (A)

Hepatogastroenterology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University General Hospital, Athens 12462, Greece.

Antonio Facciorusso (A)

Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, University of Foggia AOU, Foggia 1245, Italy.

Stefano Francesco Crinò (SF)

Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy Unit, The Pancreas Institute, University of Verona, Verona 37138, Italy.

Paraskevas Gkolfakis (P)

Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Erasme University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels 1070, Belgium.

Gjorgi Deriban (G)

University Clinic of Gastroenterohepatology, Medical Faculty, University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius" Skopje, Skopje 12345, Republic of North Macedonia.

Mario Tadic (M)

Department of Gastroenterology, Dubrava University Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb 10040, Croatia.

Goran Hauser (G)

Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka 51000, Croatia.

Antonios Vezakis (A)

2nd Department of Surgery, Aretaieio Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11528, Greece.

Ivan Jovanovic (I)

Clinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Belgrade Faculty of Medicine, Beograd 12345, Serbia.

Nicola Muscatiello (N)

Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, University of Foggia AOU, Foggia 1245, Italy.

Anna Meneghetti (A)

Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy Unit, The Pancreas Institute, University of Verona, Verona 37138, Italy.

Konstantinos Miltiadou (K)

Hepatogastroenterology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University General Hospital, Athens 12462, Greece.

Kalina Stardelova (K)

University Clinic of Gastroenterohepatology, Medical Faculty, University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius" Skopje, Skopje 12345, Republic of North Macedonia.

Alojzije Lacković (A)

Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka 51000, Croatia.

Maria-Zoi Bourou (MZ)

2nd Department of Surgery, Aretaieio Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11528, Greece.

Srdjan Djuranovic (S)

Clinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Belgrade Faculty of Medicine, Beograd 12345, Serbia.

Konstantinos Triantafyllou (K)

Hepatogastroenterology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University General Hospital, Athens 12462, Greece.

Classifications MeSH