Başak Ceylan Demirbaş

Objective The havoc caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic could not have been predicted, with children being affected worldwide. Testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection helped to define the interventions against the spread of the disease. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test has been the mainstay of diagnostic testing. Cycle threshold (Ct) is a semiquantitative value that indicates approximately how much viral genetic material was in the sample. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Ct values among children with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods Between May 3, 2020 and August 3, 2020, clinical laboratory input and the data of patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests were retrospectively studied. Results There was no statistical significance between Ct values and the patient's status, symptoms other than fever, or other laboratory findings. However, the Ct value of patients who had symptoms at the time of admission to the hospital was significantly lower. Conclusion In this study, symptomatic patients had lower Ct than asymptomatic patients that reflected higher viral loads. In evidence-based medicine applications, it might be useful to correlate the clinical history with laboratory test results. Even symptomatic patients with high Ct value coinfections, or an alternative acute infection, should be considered.

BACKGROUND The havoc of this SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was being distributed unequally. Children, of all ages, and in all countries, are being affected. Testing for infection with SARS-CoV-2, helps to determine what interventions may need to be put in place to control the spread of disease within a community. A PCR test for COVID-19 is a test used to diagnose children infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Cycle threshold (Ct) is a semi-quantitative value that tells us approximately how much viral genetic material is in the sample following testing by RT-PCR. Our aim was to evaluate how RT-PCR Ct values among children with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 compared with clinical, laboratory and demographic data. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the study, demographic, laboratory, radiological and clinical characteristics and the effect of Ct value of patients with positive Covid-19 PCR test who applied to the Emergency Pediatric Service with the suspicion of infectious disease between May 3,2020 and August 3, 2020 were retrospectively examined. RESULTS There was no statistical significance between the patient’s hospitalization status, admission symptoms other than fever, and laboratory parameters and the mean Ct value. It was determined that the mean Ct value of the patients who had symptoms at the time of admission to the hospital was statistically significantly lower. CONCLUSION In this study, symptomatic patients had lower Ct than asymptomatic patients; this reflects the clinical impact of increased viral load. In our study, the low Ct values in symptomatic patients and higher values in asymptomatic patients; reflects the importance of the effect on the clinic with the increase of viral load. In evidence-based medicine practices, it will be useful to check the compatibility of complaints and findings with laboratory data while evaluating patients. In addition, if the patient is symptomatic and has a high ct value, co-infections should be considered.