Endoscopy 2021; 53(S 01): S12
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1724280
Abstracts | ESGE Days
ESGE Days 2021 Oral presentations
Thursday, 25 March 2021 12:00 – 12:45 Infection Risk and Endoscopy Training in the Era of COVID-19 Room 6

Covid-19 in Endoscopy: How Likely is Trasnmission of Infection? Results from an International, Multicenter Study

I Papanikolaou
1   2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Attikon” University General Hospital, Athens, Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Athens, Greece
,
A Chatzidakis
1   2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Attikon” University General Hospital, Athens, Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Athens, Greece
,
K Miltiadou
1   2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Attikon” University General Hospital, Athens, Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Athens, Greece
,
A Facciorusso
2   University of Foggia AOU, Foggia, Italy, Foggia, Italy
,
SF Crinò
3   University Hospital of Verona, Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy Unit, Verona, Italy
,
P Gkolfakis
4   Institut Jules Bordet-Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Department of Medical Oncology, Brussels, Belgium
,
G Deriban
5   Medical Faculty, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, University Clinic of Gastroenterohepatology, Skopje, North Macedonia, The Republic of
,
M Tadic
6   Clinical Hospital Dubrava, Department of Gastroenterology, Zagreb, Croatia
,
G Hauser
7   Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
,
A Vezakis
8   Aretaieio Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 2nd Department of Surgery, Athens, Greece
,
I Jovanovic
9   Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade Faculty of Medicine, Clinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beograd, Serbia
,
N Muscatiello
2   University of Foggia AOU, Foggia, Italy, Foggia, Italy
,
A Meneghetti
3   University Hospital of Verona, Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy Unit, Verona, Italy
,
G Tziatzios
1   2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Attikon” University General Hospital, Athens, Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Athens, Greece
,
K Stardelova
5   Medical Faculty, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, University Clinic of Gastroenterohepatology, Skopje, North Macedonia, The Republic of
,
A Lacković
7   Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
,
MZ Bourou
8   Aretaieio Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 2nd Department of Surgery, Athens, Greece
,
S Djuranovic
9   Clinical Center of Serbia, University of Belgrade Faculty of Medicine, Clinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beograd, Serbia
,
K Triantafyllou
1   2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Attikon” University General Hospital, Athens, Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Athens, Greece
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    Aims COVID-19 has significantly affected endoscopic practice, as GI-endoscopy is considered a risky procedure for transmission of infection towards personnel of endoscopy units (PEU) and patients. ESGE recommended reduction of non-emergency endoscopies, personal protection measures (PPM) and post-endoscopy calls to patients, to check their COVID-19 status. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on endoscopy during the first European lockdown (March-May 2020).

    Methods Demographic data, patients’ COVID-19 status before and after endoscopy, clinical data for those developing COVID-19, implementation of PPM, number and type of overall endoscopies, as well as information for possible COVID-19 infection of patients and PEU were retrospectively recorded.

    Results 1267 endoscopies (EGDs:46 %, colonoscopies/rectosigmoidoscopies:35 %, ERCPs:14 %, EUS:4 %) were performed in 1222 patients (mean age:63.4 y.o., males:59 %, inpatients:44 %) in 9 centers (6 countries). Pre-endoscopic testing for COVID-19 was available for 326 (26.7 %) patients; 87(7 %) tested positive. 7-14 days after endoscopy, 1204 patients were contacted by telephone. Among 1135 pre-endoscopically COVID-19 negative patients 254 were tested post-endoscopy and 8 were found positive (0.6 % of the total), with 6, 1 and 1 cases turning positive after EGD, colonoscopy and EUS, respectively. Of these, 4 were considered “obviously” irrelevant to endoscopy, but for the other 4 (3 post-EGD and 1 post-colonoscopy) the route of transmission remained obscure. Appropriate PPM were implemented and adhered to in all centers; moreover, a significant reduction in the number of endoscopies was noted in all centers after March 2020. Finally, data regarding 163 PEU was recorded; 5 (3 %) tested positive during the study period. In 4 of them (2 % of the total), the infection was considered to be associated to their work environment.

    Conclusions COVID-19 transmission in endoscopic units is highly unlikely in a lockdown setting, provided endoscopies are reduced to emergency cases and appropriate PPM are implemented and followed.

    Citation: Papanikolaou I, Chatzidakis A, Miltiadou K et al. OP20 COVID-19 IN ENDOSCOPY: HOW LIKELY IS TRASNMISSION OF INFECTION? RESULTS FROM AN INTERNATIONAL, MULTICENTER STUDY. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S12.


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    Publication History

    Article published online:
    19 March 2021

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