Persistent Positive Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Results in Recovered COVID-19 Hospital Patients: Implications for Interpretation

BackgroundReal-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results often remain positive in patients with COVID-19, even after their symptoms have improved. We compared the characteristics of patients with persistently positive RT-PCR test results despite improved COVID-19 symptoms to those whose RT-PCR test results turned negative following symptom improvement.Materials and methodsA total of 143 adult patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized at a tertiary university hospital were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, treatment, and epidemiological data were extracted from their electronic medical records. These data were compared between patients with persistently positive RT-PCR test results and those with negative RT-PCR test results after symptom improvement.ResultsThe prevalence of cough and respiratory symptoms was less in COVID-19 patients with persistently positive RT-PCR test results after symptom improvement than in other patients with COVID-19 (p<0.05).ConclusionPersistently positive patients had a lower prevalence of cough than those who became negative. None of the other examined co-variates (hypertension, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, dyslipidemia, etc.) was associated with the persistent positivity.