False-positive Xpert® Xpress SARS-CoV-2 assay in an emergency room and trauma center: A retrospective chart review study

Authors

• Hyerim Kim, From the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Kim); from Biomedical Research Institute (Kim, Jeon, S. H. Lee, H-J. Lee, Hong); from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Jeon, H-J. Lee, Hong, Paek); from the Department of Internal Medicine (S. H. Lee), Division of Cardiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, and from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Ri), Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
• Soeun Jeon, From the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Kim); from Biomedical Research Institute (Kim, Jeon, S. H. Lee, H-J. Lee, Hong); from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Jeon, H-J. Lee, Hong, Paek); from the Department of Internal Medicine (S. H. Lee), Division of Cardiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, and from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Ri), Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
• Sun Hack Lee, From the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Kim); from Biomedical Research Institute (Kim, Jeon, S. H. Lee, H-J. Lee, Hong); from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Jeon, H-J. Lee, Hong, Paek); from the Department of Internal Medicine (S. H. Lee), Division of Cardiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, and from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Ri), Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
• Hyun-Su Ri, From the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Kim); from Biomedical Research Institute (Kim, Jeon, S. H. Lee, H-J. Lee, Hong); from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Jeon, H-J. Lee, Hong, Paek); from the Department of Internal Medicine (S. H. Lee), Division of Cardiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, and from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Ri), Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
• Hyeon-Jeong Lee, From the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Kim); from Biomedical Research Institute (Kim, Jeon, S. H. Lee, H-J. Lee, Hong); from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Jeon, H-J. Lee, Hong, Paek); from the Department of Internal Medicine (S. H. Lee), Division of Cardiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, and from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Ri), Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
• Jeong-Min Hong, From the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Kim); from Biomedical Research Institute (Kim, Jeon, S. H. Lee, H-J. Lee, Hong); from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Jeon, H-J. Lee, Hong, Paek); from the Department of Internal Medicine (S. H. Lee), Division of Cardiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, and from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Ri), Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
• Sung In Paek, From the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Kim); from Biomedical Research Institute (Kim, Jeon, S. H. Lee, H-J. Lee, Hong); from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Jeon, H-J. Lee, Hong, Paek); from the Department of Internal Medicine (S. H. Lee), Division of Cardiology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, and from the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Ri), Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.

Abstract

Objectives: To review reports false-positive Xpert results in an emergency room and trauma center. Methods: Patients’ data with false-positive Xpert results from November 2020 to February 2022 at Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea, were extracted from the electronic medical records. Results: The positive predictive value of Xpert was 40%. Of the 12 patients with false-positive results, 5 (41.7%) were re-positives (such as, patients recovered from coronavirus disease-19 [COVID-19]), and 4 (33.3%) had head or facial trauma. Two out of 4 head or facial trauma cases had documented sample contamination with blood. Conclusion: We found a high incidence of false-positive Xpert results among patients who recovered from COVID-19 and those with head or facial injury. Careful history taking for COVID-19 and physical examination of the sample collection site is essential before Xpert analysis.

Article Type

Brief Communication

First Page

965

Last Page

970

Recommended Citation

Kim, Hyerim; Jeon, Soeun; Lee, Sun Hack; Ri, Hyun-Su; Lee, Hyeon-Jeong; Hong, Jeong-Min; and Paek, Sung In (2022) "False-positive Xpert® Xpress SARS-CoV-2 assay in an emergency room and trauma center: A retrospective chart review study," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 43: Iss. 8, Article 14.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2022.43.8.20220317