Vallejo-Garcia Jose Luis, Balia L, Raimondi R, Rustioni G, Camesasca F I, Borgia A, Fossati G, Confalonieri F, Legrottaglie E F, Casari E, Sandri M T, Vinciguerra P
IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, 437807Humanitas University, Milan, Italy.
Eur J Ophthalmol. 2021 Nov 11;32(2):11206721211056594. doi: 10.1177/11206721211056594.
To investigate if symptomatic conjunctivitis during the recovery phase of the disease could be associated to a persistent presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the upper respiratory tract. Secondary end points were to analyze the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctiva of ocular symptomatic patients and to record the presence of ocular disturbances at this point of the disease.
An observational study including consecutive COVID19 patients treated at Humanitas Clinical and Research Hospital who were attending for nasopharyngeal swab to confirm the resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection and end of isolation. We examined 129 consecutive patients from May to June 2020. The primary end point was to determine if symptomatic conjunctivitis at this point of the disease could be associated to a persistent presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the upper respiratory tract. Secondary end points were to analyze the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctiva of ocular symptomatic patients and to record the presence of ocular disturbances at this point of the disease.
One hundred twenty eight patients were included, 9.38% had conjunctivitis, none resulted positive to conjunctival PCR swab test, while two of them had positive nasopharyngeal result. Mean time elapsed since the first COVID-19 positive swab to the time of examination was 6 weeks ( ± 3 The only significant association was the presence of conjunctivitis with older age (65.3 ± 12.7 vs 56.7 + 13.5. = 0.046). Nasopharyngeal swab resulted positive in 22 patients (17.19%). While 88 patients (68.2%) did not have any ocular complain during their COVID19 disease. The 40 patients (31.8%) reporting ocular disturbances complained about: redness (25.43%), tearing (19.53%), burning (18.35%), foreign body sensation (17.18%), itching (15.62%), and discharge (12.5%).
This study showed that late conjunctivitis cannot be considered as a marker of persistent infection when patients are sent to confirm the resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
调查疾病恢复期出现的症状性结膜炎是否与严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）在上呼吸道的持续存在有关。次要终点是分析有眼部症状患者结膜中SARS-CoV-2的存在情况，并记录疾病此阶段眼部不适的存在情况。
一项观察性研究，纳入在胡梅塔斯临床与研究医院接受治疗的连续性新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）患者，这些患者前来进行鼻咽拭子检查以确认SARS-CoV-2感染的消退及隔离结束。我们检查了2020年5月至6月期间的129例连续性患者。主要终点是确定疾病此阶段的症状性结膜炎是否与SARS-CoV-2在上呼吸道的持续存在有关。次要终点是分析有眼部症状患者结膜中SARS-CoV-2的存在情况，并记录疾病此阶段眼部不适的存在情况。
纳入128例患者，9.38%患有结膜炎，结膜聚合酶链反应（PCR）拭子检测均为阴性，而其中2例鼻咽拭子检测结果为阳性。从首次COVID-19阳性拭子到检查时的平均时间为6周（±3）。唯一显著的关联是结膜炎与年龄较大有关（65.3±12.7岁 vs 56.7 + 13.5岁，P = 0.046）。22例患者（17.19%）鼻咽拭子检测结果为阳性。88例患者（68.2%）在COVID-19疾病期间没有任何眼部不适。报告有眼部不适的40例患者（31.8%）抱怨：眼红（25.43%）、流泪（19.53%）、烧灼感（18.35%）、异物感（17.18%）、瘙痒（15.62%）和分泌物增多（12.5%）。
本研究表明，当患者前来确认SARS-CoV-2感染消退时，晚期结膜炎不能被视为持续感染的标志。
