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Huang L, Zhang X, Zhang L, Xu J, Wei Z, Xu Y, Zhang C, Xu A. Swab and Sputum SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Negative, CT-Positive, Symptomatic Contacts of COVID-19 Cases: A Hypothesis-Generating Prospective Population-Based Cohort Study of Eight Clusters. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:685544. [PMID: 34485329 PMCID: PMC8416039 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.685544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: While some contacts of COVID-19 cases become symptomatic and radiographically abnormal, their SARS-CoV-2 RNA tests remain negative throughout the disease course. This prospective population-based cohort study aimed to explore their characteristics and significances. Methods: From January 22, 2020, when the first COVID-19 case was identified in Hefei, China, until July 3, a total of 14,839 people in Feidong, Hefei, with a population of ~1,081,000 underwent SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing, where 36 cases (0.2%) with confirmed COVID-19 infection (Group 1) and 27 close contacts (0.2%) testing negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA but having both positive COVID-19 exposure histories and CT findings (Group 2) from eight clusters were prospectively identified. Another 62 non-COVID-19 pneumonia cases without any exposure history (Group 3) were enrolled, and characteristics of the three groups were described and compared. We further described a cluster with an unusual transmission pattern. Results: Fever was more common in Group 2 than Groups 1 and 3. Frequency of diarrhea in Group 1 was higher than in Groups 2 and 3. Median leucocyte, neutrophil, monocyte, and eosinophil counts were all lower in Groups 1 and 2 than in Group 3. Median D-dimer level was lower in Group 1 than in Groups 2 and 3. Total protein and albumin levels were higher in Groups 1 and 2 than in Group 3. C-reactive protein level was lower and erythrocyte sedimentation rate slower in Groups 1 and 2 than in Group 3. Combination antibacterial therapy and levofloxacin were more often used in Group 3 than in Groups 1 and 2. Lopinavir/ritonavir was more often administered in Groups 1 and 2 than in Group 3. Group 1 received more often corticosteroids than Groups 2 and 3. Group 2 received less often oxygen therapy than Groups 1 and 3. Median duration from illness onset to discharge was longer in Group 1 (27 d) than Groups 2 and 3 (both 17 d). Among contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 patient, only one had a positive virus RNA test but remained asymptomatic and had negative CT findings, and three had negative virus RNA tests but had symptoms and positive CT findings, one of whom transmitted COVID-19 to another asymptomatic laboratory-confirmed patient who had no other exposures. Conclusions: Among close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases, some present with positive symptoms and CT findings but test negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA using common respiratory (throat swab and sputum) specimens; they have features more similar to confirmed COVID-19 cases than non-COVID-19 pneumonia cases and might have transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to others. Such cases might add to the complexity and difficulty of COVID-19 control. Our hypothesis-generating study might suggest that SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing by rRT-PCR assays of common respiratory (throat swab and sputum) specimens alone, the widely accepted "golden standard" for diagnosing COVID-19, might be sometimes insufficient, and that further studies with some further procedures (e.g., testing via bronchoalveolar lavage or specific antibodies) would be warranted for Group 2-like patients, namely, the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-negative (tested using common respiratory specimens), radiographically positive, symptomatic contacts of COVID-19 cases, to further reveal their nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Huang
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiuwen Zhang
- Quarantine Ward for Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Feidong People's Hospital, East District of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Graduate School, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Lingli Zhang
- Quarantine Ward for Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Feidong People's Hospital, East District of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jingjing Xu
- Quarantine Ward for Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Feidong People's Hospital, East District of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhijian Wei
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuanhong Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chengyuan Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Feidong People's Hospital, East District of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Aman Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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Icks A, Wittgens C, Haastert B, Jöckel KH, Engel M, Erbel R, Andrich S, Kruse J, Kulzer B, Hermanns N, Herder C, Moebus S, Stang A, Kowall B. High Depressive Symptoms in Previously Undetected Diabetes - 10-Year Follow-Up Results of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study. Clin Epidemiol 2021; 13:429-438. [PMID: 34140811 PMCID: PMC8203301 DOI: 10.2147/clep.s294342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim To determine the 10-year cumulative incidence of high depressive symptoms in people with diagnosed and, in particular, previously undetected diabetes compared to those without diabetes in a population-based cohort study in Germany. Materials and Methods We included 2813 participants (52.9% men, mean age (SD) 58.9 (7.7) years, 7.1% diagnosed diabetes, 5.6% previously undetected diabetes) from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study. We calculated the odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using multiple logistic regression analyses for diagnosed and undetected diabetes. Results Cumulative 10-year incidences (95%-CI) of high depressive symptoms in participants with diagnosed diabetes, previously undetected diabetes, and without diabetes were 15.4% (10.7–21.2), 10.1% (5.9–15.9), and 12.4% (11.1–13.8), respectively. Age-sex-adjusted ORs were 1.51 (1.01–2.28) in participants with diagnosed diabetes compared to those without, 1.40 (0.92–2.12) after adjustment for BMI, physical activity, education, and smoking, and 1.33 (0.87–2.02) after further adjustment for stroke and myocardial infarction. ORs in participants with previously undetected diabetes were 0.96 (0.56–1.65), 0.85 (0.49–1.47), and 0.85 (0.49–1.48), respectively, and lower in men than in women. Conclusion As expected, we found an increased odds of developing high depressive symptoms in participants with diagnosed diabetes. However, the odds ratios decreased when we considered comorbidities and other covariates. Interestingly, in participants with previously undetected diabetes, the odds was not increased, even 10 years after detection of diabetes. These results support the hypothesis that high depressive symptoms develop due to diabetes-related burdens and comorbidities and not due to hyperglycemia or hyperinsulinemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Icks
- Institute for Health Services Research and Health Economics, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute for Health Services Research and Health Economics, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research, Partner Düsseldorf, München-Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Charlotte Wittgens
- Institute for Health Services Research and Health Economics, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Burkhard Haastert
- Institute for Health Services Research and Health Economics, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,mediStatistica, Neuenrade, Germany
| | - Karl-Heinz Jöckel
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Miriam Engel
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Raimund Erbel
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Silke Andrich
- Institute for Health Services Research and Health Economics, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute for Health Services Research and Health Economics, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Johannes Kruse
- Institute for Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Bernd Kulzer
- Research Institute of the Diabetes Academy Mergentheim and Diabetes Centre Mergentheim, Bad Mergentheim, Germany
| | - Norbert Hermanns
- Research Institute of the Diabetes Academy Mergentheim and Diabetes Centre Mergentheim, Bad Mergentheim, Germany
| | - Christian Herder
- German Center for Diabetes Research, Partner Düsseldorf, München-Neuherberg, Germany.,Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Susanne Moebus
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andreas Stang
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Bernd Kowall
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
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