Table 1.
Preoperatively asymptomatic COVID-19 patients by the countries' risk group
| Countries by risk group | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | High risk | Int. risk | Low risk | ||
| 936 | 330 | 242 | 364 | P Value | |
| Testing policies before surgery. No. (%) a | |||||
| Everyone | 155 (16·6) | 91 (27·6) | 43 (17·8) | 21 (5·8) | <·001 |
| All oncologic patients | 42 (4·5) | 24 (7·3) | 14 (5·8) | 4 (1·1) | <·001 |
| All emergency patients | 73 (7·8) | 41 (12·4) | 22 (9·1) | 10 (2·7) | <·001 |
| Symptomatic or suspicious radiological features | 691 (73·8) | 214 (64·8) | 183 (75·6) | 294 (80·8) | ·03 |
| Experienced preoperatively asymptomatic patients tested positive after surgery. No. (%) | |||||
| Yes | 257 (27·5) | 170 (51·5) | 66 (27·3) | 21 (5·8) | <·001 |
| No | 679 (72·5) | 160 (48·5) | 176 (72·7) | 343 (94·2) | |
| Experienced preoperatively asymptomatic patients tested positive after surgery with symptoms. No. (%) | |||||
| Yes | 231 (24·7) | 158 (47·9) | 55 (22·7) | 18 (4·9) | <·001 |
| No | 705 (75·3) | 172 (52·1) | 187 (77·3) | 346 (95·1) | |
| Experienced preoperatively asymptomatic patients tested positive after surgery without symptoms. No. (%) | |||||
| Yes | 157 (16·8) | 108 (32·7) | 39 (16·1) | 10 (2·7) | <·001 |
| No | 779 (83·2) | 222 (67·3) | 203 (83·9) | 354 (97·3) | |
| Preventive measures changed due to the asymptomatic patients? (2nd survey) No. (%) a, b | |||||
| Yes, PPE use | 40 (26·8) | ||||
| Yes, PPE availability | 23 (15·4) | ||||
| Yes, preoperative patient testing | 55 (36·9) | ||||
| Yes, staff testing | 26 (17·4) | ||||
| Yes, staff rotation | 16 (10·7) | ||||
| Yes, COVID-19 dedicated area | 54 (36·2) | ||||
| Yes, stop elective surgeries | 31 (20·8) | ||||
| No | 27 (18·1) | ||||
| Did you observe a worse surgical outcome related to asymptomatic COVID-19 patient? (2nd survey) No. (%) b | |||||
| Yes | 46 (30·9) | ||||
| No/I don't know | 103 (69·1) | ||||
Int: intermediate.
a
Percentages do not add up to 100 because of the multiple choice question.
b
The second survey respondents are the centers that answered ‘yes’ in the question ‘Experienced preoperatively asymptomatic patients tested positive after surgery’ (n = 149). The data are not analyzed by countries' risk group.