Effects of Different SARS-CoV-2 Testing Strategies in the Emergency Department on Length of Stay and Clinical Outcomes: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Table 2
Outcomes.
Total n = 598
Group one-antigentest + point of care rtPCR test, n = 198
Group two -point of care rtPCR test, n = 197
Control group: group three-centrallaboratory rtPCR test, n = 203
Total n(mis) =
value (two-sided)=
Inpatient LOS
Intention to treat analysis
7.00 d (4.00–12.00)
7.00 d (4.00–11.00)
7.00 d (4.00–12.75)
7.00 d (7.00–14.00)
2
0.86
Per protocol analysis
7 d (4.00–13.00)
7 d (5.00–11.00)
7 d (4.00–13.00)
7 d (4.00–14.00)
2
0.98
ED LOS
Intention to treat analysis
07:38 h (05:51–10:21)
07:32 h (05:59–10:19)
07:37 h (05:50–09:36)
07:43 h (05:45–10:48)
0
0.96
Per protocol analysis
07:34 h (05:45–10:01)
07:32 h (05:59–10:19)
07:39 h (05:48–09:36)
07:25 h (05:26–10:11)
0
0.54
TAT
Intention to treat analysis
00:48 h (00:21–05:27)
00:47 h (00:42–00:56)
00:21 h (00:21–00:21)
06:26 h (05:22–09:46)
5
<0.01
Time to teststart
Intention to treat analysis
04:09 h (02:44–05:52)
04:10 h (02:37–05:26)
04:23 h (03:02–06:21)
03:47 h (02:39–05:50)
5
0.08
Clinical course after ED
2
0.88
Direct transfer to ICU
9 (1.51%)
3 (1.52%)
3 (1.52%)
3 (1.48%)
Hospitalisation in Charité
505 (84.45%)
168 (84.84%)
164 (83.25%)
173 (85.22%)
Hospitalisation in external clinics
51 (8.53%)
17 (8.59%)
19 (9.64%)
15 (7.39%)
Ambulatory case
27 (4.52%)
9 (4.55%)
9 (4.57%)
9 (4.43%)
Dismissal against medical advice
6 (1.00%)
1 (0.51%)
2 (1.02%)
3 (1.48%)
Clinical course during hospitalisation
ICU admission
42 (7.02%)
16 (8.08%)
12 (6.09%)
14 (6.90%)
4
0.75
LOS ICU
5.50 d (2–11.25)
4.50 d (2.00–9.75)
6.50 d (3.25–14.75)
5.50 d (2.75–12.25)
4
0.68
Clinical course after hospitalisation
2
0.97
Dismissal home
512 (85.91%)
166 (83.84%)
173 (88.27%)
173 (85.64%)
Rehabilitation
37 (6.21%)
15 (7.58%)
11 (5.61%)
11 (6.45%)
Death in hospital
20 (3.36%)
4 (2.02%)
7 (3.57%)
9 (4.46%)
Transfer to another clinic
18 (3.02%)
8 (4.04)
4 (2.04%)
6 (2.97%)
Nursing home
9 (1.51%)
5 (2.53%)
1(0.51%)
3 (1.49%)
Satisfaction with ED treatment
ZUF-8 score out of 32 points
29 (26–31)
29 (26–31)
28 (26–30)
29 (26–31)
260
0.9
Note. Inpatient length of stay (LOS) in days (d), emergency department (ED) LOS in hours (h), turn-around-time (TAT) of allocated test strategy in hours (h) measured from first sample taking to result transmission, clinical course after ED discharge, clinical course during hospitalisation, clinical course after hospitalisation, and satisfaction with ED treatment measured with ZUF-8 scores are shown for the total study population and each group. The median (IQR) or absolute frequency (relative frequency as valid percentage) is shown. Because not all datasets were complete, the number of missing values for each item is noted as “Total n (mis) =”. Bold values indicate that p values < 0.05 are significant.
