The CoLab-score rapidly and efficiently excludes COVID-19 at the emergency department without need for SARS-CoV-2 testing: a multicenter case-control study

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundRapid identification of emergency department (ED) patients with a possible COVID-19 infection is needed. PCR-testing all ED patients is neither feasible nor effective in most centers, therefore a rapid, objective, low-cost screening tool to triage ED patients is necessary.MethodsResults from all routine lab tests from ED patients at the Catharina Hospital were collected from July 2019 to July 2020 and used in a statistical model to obtain the CoLab-score. The score was validated temporally and externally in three independent centers.ResultsThe CoLab-score consists of 10 routine lab results and can be used to safely rule-out a COVID-19 infection in more than one third of ED presentations with a negative predictive value of 0.997 (95% CI: 0.994 – 0.999).ConclusionsThe CoLab-score is a valuable tool to rule out COVID-19, guide PCR testing and is available to any center with access to routine laboratory tests.