ObjectiveThis study will test the performance of the anal swab PCR test when compared with the nasopharyngeal swab PCR test as a diagnostic tool for COVID-19.DesignAn observational descriptive study which included hospitalised suspected, or probable cases of hopitalised COVID-19 patients, conducted in Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital, Ciputra Hospital, Mitra Keluarga Depok Hospital and Mitra Keluarga Kelapa Gading Hospital, Indonesia. Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and radiology data were obtained. Nasopharyngeal and anal swabs specimens were collected for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection.ResultsWe analysed 136 subjects as part of this study. The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 manifesation in this study was typical of hospitalised patients, with 25% classified as mild cases, 14.7% in severe condition and 12.5% of subjects classified as having acute respiratory distress syndrome. When compared with nasopharyngeal swab as the standard specimen for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigen, the sensitivity and specificity of the anal swab was 36.7% and 93.8%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive value were 97.8% and 16.5 %, respectively. The performance of the anal swab remained similar when only the subgroup of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms (n=92, 67.6%) was analysed (sensitivity 40% and specificity 91.7%). Out of all the subjects included in analysis, 67.6% had gastrointestinal symptoms. Similarly, 73.3% of patients in the anal swab-positive group had gastrointestinal symptoms. The two most common gastrointestinal symptoms in the subjects’ population were nausea and anorexia.ConclusionAnal swab specimen has low sensitivity (36.7%) but high specificity (93.8%) for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antigen by RT-PCR. Only one additional positive result was found by anal swab among the nasopharyngeal swab-negative group. Anal swab may not be needed as an additional test at the beginning of a patient’s diagnostic investigation and nasopharyngeal swab RT-PCR remains as the standard diagnostic test for COVID-19.
Annona muricata, commonly known as soursop, contains annonacin, acetogenin, and polyphenol which are known to have chemopreventive effects on cancer. In this study, we tend to evaluate the apoptosis-inducing effect of soursop (Annona muricata) leaf extract on the colorectal cancer cell line COLO-205 through the activities of caspase-3 which is a marker of cell apoptosis. Cell cultures were incubated with soursop leaf with a concentration of 10 μg/ml and then compared with those of the incubated positive control leucovorin 10 μg/ml and placebo as a negative control. The apoptotic activity of caspase-3 was measured with ELISA. After the administration of each treatment in the colorectal cancer cell line COLO-205, the expression of caspase-3 activity was 1422 ng/ml after incubation with the extract of Annona muricata leaves, 1373 ng/ml after the administration of leucovorin, and 1297 ng/ml in the one with placebo. Annona muricata leaf extract elevated caspase-3 by 1.09 times compared to that of the pure cell line. Annona muricata leaf extract had a higher value of caspase-3 activity than leucovorin and placebo in the COLO-205 colorectal cancer cell line. These results may suggest that Annona muricata leaf extract had anticancer properties by enhancing caspase-3 activity which is a proapoptotic marker.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.