Rates of PCR Positivity of Pleural Drainage Fluid in COVID-19 Patients: Is It Expected?

Background: Tube thoracostomy, utilized through conventional methodologies in the context of pleural disorders such as pleural effusion and pneumothorax, constitutes one of the primary therapeutic interventions. Nonetheless, it is imperative to recognize that invasive procedures, including tube thoracostomy, are classified as aerosol-generating activities during the management of pleural conditions in patients afflicted with COVID-19, thus raising substantial concerns regarding the potential exposure of healthcare personnel to the virus. The objective of this investigation was to assess the SARS-CoV-2 viral load by detecting viral RNA in pleural drainage specimens from patients who underwent tube thoracostomy due to either pleural effusion or pneumothorax.

Methods: In this single-center prospective cross-sectional analysis, a real-time reverse transcriptase (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was employed to conduct swab tests for the qualitative identification of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in pleural fluids acquired during tube thoracostomy between August 2021 and December 2021.

Results: All pleural drainage specimens from 21 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 via nasopharyngeal PCR, of which 14 underwent tube thoracostomy due to pneumothorax, 4 due to both pneumothorax and pleural effusion, and 3 due to pleural effusion, were found to be negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Moreover, individuals exhibiting pleural effusion were admitted to the intensive care unit with a notably higher incidence, yet demonstrated significantly more radiological anomalies in patients diagnosed with pneumothorax.

Conclusions: The current findings, inclusive of the results from this study, do not furnish scientific evidence to support the notion that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via aerosolization during tube thoracostomy, and it remains uncertain whether the virus can be adequately contained within pleural fluids.