Background: To investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients with vascular disorders after implementing institutional and governmental safety measures. Materials and Methods: Vascular patients (VPs) admitted to our tertiary care hospital were routinely tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection on a two days basis between March and December, 2020. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was compared between VPs and two independent Austrian populations (April and November 2020) tested by the Austrian Ministry of Science. The results were also compared to a cohort of health care personnel (HCP) working in close proximity to the study patients, tested weekly, between March and December, 2020. RT-PCR and antigen test were used to detect SARS-CoV-2.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
2,243
Nasal or pharyngeal respiratory swabs were routinely taken of each patient admitted at our departments and repeated regularly at 48 h intervals during the inpatient stay. In the HCP cohort testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA was performed, on a weekly basis, at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Austria, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Comparability of the results of all test methods used was confirmed by participation in international quality control ring trials.
Medical University of Vienna
Vienna, Austria
prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection
The primary endpoint of the present study was to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with vascular disease after the implementation of institutional and governmental safety measures and compared it to SARS-CoV-2 infections among the general population in Austria.
Time frame: March 16 to December 07, 2020
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