Asymptomatic patients are a potential source of transmission of COVID-19

Objectives:
Are asymptomatic patients a potential source of transmission of COVID-19?

Study design:
This review article included 506 patients from 34 studies (68 single cases and 438 from case series).

Results and conclusions:   
The investigators found patients with normal radiology were younger (19.59 ± 17.17 years) than patients with abnormal radiology (39.14 ± 26.70 years) [p value = 0.013].

The investigators found despite being asymptomatic, CT investigations revealed abnormalities in 62.2% of the cases and ground glass opacities were most frequently observed (43.09% by meta-analysis).

The investigators found most studies reported normal laboratory findings (61.74% by meta-analysis).

The investigators concluded more than half of patients without any symptoms present with CT abnormalities. Asymptomatic patients may be contagious and thus a potential source of transmission of COVID-19.

Original title:
Asymptomatic Patients as a Source of COVID-19 Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by Kronbichler A, Kresse D, […], Shin JI.

Link:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32562846/

Additional information of El Mondo:
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