1. A Tale of Two Institutions: COVID-19 Positive Rates in Asymptomatic Patients Pre-Screened for Spine Procedures and Surgeries in Los Angeles, California.
- Author
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Chen, Allen S., Brown, Matthew, Arekelyan, Anush, Wennemann, Sophie, Shamie, Nick, Holly, Langston, Liu, John C., Wang, Jeffrey C., and Buser, Zorica
- Subjects
ASYMPTOMATIC patients ,COVID-19 ,SARS-CoV-2 ,SPINAL surgery ,CHI-squared test ,CORONAVIRUSES - Abstract
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objectives: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has created an unprecedented global public health emergency. The aim of the current study was to report on COVID-19 rates in an asymptomatic population prior to undergoing spine procedures or surgeries at two large Los Angeles healthcare systems. Methods: Elective spine procedures and surgeries from May 1, 2020 to January 31, 2021 were included. Results from SARS-CoV-2 virus RT-PCR nasopharyngeal testing within 72 hours prior to elective spine procedures were recorded. Los Angeles County COVID-19 rates were calculated using data sets from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Chi-squared test and Stata/IC were used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 4,062 spine procedures and surgeries were scheduled during this time period. Of these, 4,043 procedures and surgeries were performed, with a total of 19 patients testing positive. Nine positive patients were from UCLA, and 10 from USC. The overall rate of positive tests was low at.47% and reflected similarities with Los Angeles County COVID-19 rates over time. Conclusions: The current study shows that pre-procedure COVID-19 testing rates remains very low, and follows similar patterns of community rates. While pre-procedure testing increases the safety of elective procedures, universal COVID-19 pre-screening adds an additional barrier to receiving care for patients and increases cost of delivering care. A combination of pre-screening, pre-procedure self-quarantine, and consideration of overall community COVID-19 positivity rates should be further studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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