Nutritional Advice El Mondo
Objectives:
What are the diagnostic characteristics of serological-based COVID-19 testing?
Study design:
This review article included 5 studies with 1,166 patients underwent serological testing for COVID-19. Of these, 623 had the disease. Therefore, the prevalence of COVID-19 in the studied population was 53.43%.
There was no evidence of publication bias based upon a Deeks’ funnel plot.
Results and conclusions:
The investigators found pooled sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for IgG was 81% [95% CI = 61 to 92, I2 = 95.28%], 97% [95% CI = 78 to 100, I2 = 97.80%] and 93% [95% CI = 91 to 95], respectively.
The investigators found the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for IgM antibodies was 80% [95% CI = 57 to 92, I2 = 94.63%], 96% [95% CI = 81 to 99, I2 = 92.96%] and 95% [95% CI = 92 to 96].
The investigators found negative predictive values of 77% for IgG and 82% for IgM.
The investigators concluded that antibody testing alone (considering the sensitivities of 81% (IgG) and 80% (IgM) and negative predictive values of 77% (IgG) and 82% (IgM)), in its current form, is unlikely to be an adequate solution to the difficulties posed by COVID-19 and in guiding future policy decisions regarding social distancing and reopening of the economy worldwide.
Original title:
Diagnostic Characteristics of Serological-Based COVID-19 Testing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by de Moura DTH, McCarty T, […], Thompson CC.
Link:
https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1807-59322020000100421&script=sci_arttext
Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on coronavirus right here.