Salto-Alejandre, SonsolesBerastegui-Cabrera, JudithCamacho-Martínez, PedroInfante-Domínguez, CarmenCarretero-Ledesma, MartaCrespo-Rivas, Juan CarlosMárquez, EduardoLomas, José ManuelBueno, ClaudioAmaya, RosarioLepe, José AntonioCisneros, José MiguelPachón, JerónimoCordero, ElisaSánchez-Céspedes, Javier2022-07-182022-07-182021-06-21Salto-Alejandre S, Berastegui-Cabrera J, Camacho-Martínez P, Infante-Domínguez C, Carretero-Ledesma M, Crespo-Rivas JC, et al. SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs is not an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome. Sci Rep. 2021 Jun 21;11(1):12931http://hdl.handle.net/10668/3796The aim was to assess the ability of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load at first patient's hospital evaluation to predict unfavorable outcomes. We conducted a prospective cohort study including 321 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 through RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs. Quantitative Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 RNA cycle threshold values were used to calculate the viral load in log10 copies/mL. Disease severity at the end of follow up was categorized into mild, moderate, and severe. Primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death (n = 85, 26.4%). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load over the second quartile (≥ 7.35 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.003) and second tertile (≥ 8.27 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.01) were associated to unfavorable outcome in the unadjusted logistic regression analysis. However, in the final multivariable analysis, viral load was not independently associated with an unfavorable outcome. Five predictors were independently associated with increased odds of ICU admission and/or death: age ≥ 70 years, SpO2, neutrophils > 7.5 × 103/µL, lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 300 U/L, and C-reactive protein ≥ 100 mg/L. In summary, nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load on admission is generally high in patients with COVID-19, regardless of illness severity, but it cannot be used as an independent predictor of unfavorable clinical outcome.enAtribución 4.0 InternacionalAtribución 4.0 Internacionalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/COVID-19 Nucleic Acid TestingSARS-CoV-2PrognosisViral LoadDeathPronósticoCarga ViralMuerteCOVID-19Medical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::AdultMedical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::AgedMedical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::Aged::Aged, 80 and overMedical Subject Headings::Check Tags::FemaleMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Epidemiologic Methods::Epidemiologic Study Characteristics as Topic::Epidemiologic Studies::Cohort Studies::Longitudinal Studies::Follow-Up StudiesMedical Subject Headings::Organisms::Eukaryota::Animals::Chordata::Vertebrates::Mammals::Primates::Haplorhini::Catarrhini::Hominidae::HumansMedical Subject Headings::Health Care::Health Care Facilities, Manpower, and Services::Health Facilities::Hospital Units::Intensive Care UnitsMedical Subject Headings::Check Tags::MaleMedical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::Middle AgedMedical Subject Headings::Anatomy::Respiratory System::Pharynx::NasopharynxMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Therapeutics::Patient Care::Hospitalization::Patient AdmissionMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Diagnosis::PrognosisMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Epidemiologic Methods::Epidemiologic Study Characteristics as Topic::Epidemiologic Studies::Cohort Studies::Longitudinal Studies::Prospective StudiesMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Nucleic Acids, Nucleotides, and Nucleosides::Nucleic Acids::RNA::RNA, ViralMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Genetic Techniques::Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques::Polymerase Chain Reaction::Real-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Epidemiologic Methods::Statistics as Topic::Probability::Risk::Risk FactorsMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Diagnosis::Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures::Clinical Laboratory Techniques::Microbiological Techniques::Viral LoadMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Epidemiologic Methods::Data Collection::Health Surveys::Health Status Indicators::Patient Acuity::Severity of Illness IndexMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Virus Diseases::RNA Virus Infections::Nidovirales Infections::Coronaviridae Infections::Coronavirus Infectionsresearch article34155307Acceso abierto10.1038/s41598-021-92400-y2045-2322PMC8217169