SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR Test Detection Rates Are Associated with Patient Age, Sex, and Time since Diagnosis.

ABSTRACT: Quantifying the detection rate of the widely used quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and its dependence on patient demographic characteristics and disease progression is key in designing epidemiologic strategies. Analyzing 843,917 test results of 521,696 patients, a "positive period" was defined for each patient between diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 and the last positive test result. The fraction of positive test results within this period was then used to estimate detection rate. Regression analyses were used to determine associations of detection with time of sampling after diagnosis, patient demographic characteristics, and viral RNA copy number based on RT-qPCR cycle threshold values of the next positive test result. The overa

SUBMITTER: Levine-Tiefenbrun M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8608683 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature