April 19, 2021

Clinical Characteristics of False Negative SARS-CoV-2 Test Results Amongst Hospitalized Patients

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Clinical Characteristics and Health Care Setting

Keywords (Tags): clinical characteristics, testing

• False negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR results, defined as an initial negative test followed by a positive test within seven days, were associated with loss of taste or smell (aOR = 8.4), having a SARS-CoV-2-positive contact (aOR = 10.5), and having an elevated lactate dehydrogenase level (aOR = 3.3) compared to true negative results. Among 1,009 SARS-CoV-2 test results included in the retrospective cohort study conducted between March 14 and April 30 2020, 4.0% were false negatives. Patients were included in the analysis if they had an initial negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test with at least one additional test obtained within the next seven days. Testing protocol at the study site mandated a follow-up test for all patients admitted with influenza-like illness in whom no alternative diagnosis was identified within 48 hours of hospital admission.

MacKenzie et al. (Apr 2021). Clinical Characteristics of False Negative SARS-CoV-2 Test Results Amongst Hospitalized Patients. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2021.146