SENA ÖLÇER, KENAN TUNÇ, SELEN ZELİHA MART KÖMÜRCÜ, SERKAN DOĞAN, ALİCAN BAHADIR SEMERCİ, ARZU TANRIVERDİ, CEMAL KAZEZOĞLU, METE BURAK ÖZDEMİR
Comprehensive Medicine - 2023;15(4):295-300
INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study is to appraise the performance of the rapid antigen detection test (RADT) which is an immunochromatographic test to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen, compared to a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). METHODS: Nasopharyngeal samples were taken from 185 volunteers and SARS-CoV-2 RADT and RT-qPCR tests were performed simultaneously. The results were evaluated in the light of parameters such as age, gender, cycle threshold (Ct) values of RT-qPCR, and symptoms. Results: RT-qPCR and SARS-CoV-2 RADT results of 148 participants from our study group were compatible, inconsistency was observed in the results of 37 participants. In general, the sensitivity and specificity for RADT were 63% and 100%, respectively. In the heterogeneous study group, the accuracy of the antigen test was found to be 80% (Cohen’s K=0.690, 95%, p<0.001). When the Ct value was <20, the accuracy of the test was 85%>. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results highlight that COVID-19 antigen detection with the RADT we used has the potential to present as an alternative diagnostic method in patients with high viral load, especially in the early and infective stages of disease.
