Clin Endosc.  2021 Jul;54(4):522-525. 10.5946/ce.2020.295.

COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test: Role in Screening Prior to Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

• Dalal A
• Sonika U
• Kumar M
• George R
• Kumar A
• Srivastava S
• Sachdeva S
• Sharma BC

• KMID: 2518854
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5946/ce.2020.295

Abstract

Background/Aims
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic has affected the gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy units globally owing to the risk of transmission. We present our data on the use of rapid antigen test (RAT) as a screening tool prior to endoscopy to prevent the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Methods
This study was a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent any GI endoscopic procedure from July 2020 to October 2020 at a tertiary referral center in New Delhi, India. All patients underwent screening for COVID-19 using RAT, and endoscopy was performed only when the RAT was negative. The data are presented as numbers and percentages.
Results
A total of 3,002 endoscopic procedures were performed during the study period. Only one endoscopic procedure was performed in a COVID-19 positive patient. A total of 53 healthcare workers were involved in conducting these procedures. Only 2 healthcare workers (3.8%) were diagnosed COVID-19 positive, presumably due to community-acquired infection, during this period.
Conclusions
The COVID-19 RAT is easily usable as a simple screening tool prior to GI endoscopy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keyword

Cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic retrograde; COVID-19; Endoscopy; SARS-COV-2 antigen testing

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