COVID-19 Testing in Patients With Vascular Disorders

Background: To investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients with vascular disorders after implementing institutional and governmental safety measures. Materials and Methods: Vascular patients (VPs) admitted to our tertiary care hospital were routinely tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection on a two days basis between March and December, 2020. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was compared between VPs and two independent Austrian populations (April and November 2020) tested by the Austrian Ministry of Science. The results were also compared to a cohort of health care personnel (HCP) working in close proximity to the study patients, tested weekly, between March and December, 2020. RT-PCR and antigen test were used to detect SARS-CoV-2.