ArticleBMC infectious diseases2021
Differences in antibiotic and antiviral use in people with confirmed influenza: a retrospective comparison of rapid influenza PCR and multiplex respiratory virus PCR tests.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Impact of Real-Time, On-Demand Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Testing at Point-of-Care on Antibiotic Prescribing and Clinical Outcome in Pediatric Outpatients With Acute Respiratory Illness: A Prospective, Quasi-Randomized, Controlled Study.Influenza and other respiratory viruses · 2026Trial
- From triplex to tetraplex: evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of the new Roche Cobas Liat SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B & RSV assay.Journal of clinical microbiology · 2026Observational
- ERS/ESCMID state-of-the-science statement on the role of rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis and management of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections.The European respiratory journal · 2026Review
- Combining an antibiotic stewardship program with a 15-pathogen viral panel to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.Microbiology spectrum · 2026Article
- The Impact of Rapid Molecular Diagnostics for Influenza on Antibiotic Stewardship in the Emergency Department-An Observational Retrospective Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Healthcare as a driver, reservoir and amplifier of antimicrobial resistance: opportunities for interventions.Nature reviews. Microbiology · 2024Review
- Antibiotic Use and Respiratory Viral PCR Testing Among Pediatric Patients With Nosocomial Fever.Cureus · 2023Article
- Utility and Applicability of Rapid Diagnostic Testing in Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Delphi Consensus.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2022Article
- Evaluation of Molecular Point-of-Care Testing for Respiratory Pathogens in Children With Respiratory Infections: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2021Article
- Provider views on rapid diagnostic tests and antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections: A mixed methods study.PloS one · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundInfluenza is a highly contagious respiratory virus with clinical impacts on patient morbidity, mortality and hospital bed management. The effect of rapid nucleic acid testing (RPCR) in comparison to standard multiplex PCR (MPCR) diagnosis in treatment decisions is unclear. This study aimed to determine whether RPCR influenza testing in comparison to standard MPCR testing was associated with differences in antibiotic and antiviral (oseltamivir) utilisation and hospital length of stay in emergency department and inpatient hospital settings.
methodsA retrospective cohort study of positive influenza RPCR and MPCR patients was performed utilising data from the 2017 influenza season. Medical records of correlating patient presentations were reviewed for data collection. An analysis of RPCR versus MPCR patient outcomes was performed examining test turnaround time, antibiotic initiation, oseltamivir initiation and hospital length of stay for both emergency department and inpatient hospital stay. Subgroup analysis was performed to assess oseltamivir use in high risk populations for influenza complications. Statistical significance was assessed using Mann-Whitney test for numerical data and Chi-squared test for categorical data. Odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals were calculated where appropriate.
resultsOverall, 122 RPCR and 362 MPCR positive influenza patients were included in this study. Commencement of antibiotics was less frequent in the RPCR than MPCR cohorts (51% vs 67%; p < 0.01, OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.34-0.79). People at high risk of complications from influenza who were tested with the RPCR were more likely to be treated with oseltamivir compared to those tested with the MPCR (76% vs 63%; p = 0.03, OR 1.81; 95% CI 1.07-3.08). Hospital length of stay was not impacted when either test was used in the emergency department and inpatient settings.
conclusionsThese findings suggest utilisation of RPCR testing in influenza management can improve antibiotic stewardship through reduction in antibiotic use and improvement in oseltamivir initiation in those at higher risk of complications. Further research is required to determine other factors that may have influenced hospital length of stay and a cost-benefit analysis should be undertaken to determine the financial impact of the RPCR test.
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