Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34562617›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of molecular diagnostics : JMD2021

Two-Stage Hierarchical Group Testing Strategy to Increase SARS-CoV-2 Testing Capacity at an Institution of Higher Education: A Retrospective Analysis.

Troy J Ganz, Rachel Donner, Kevin M Hines, Markus L Waithe-Alleyne, Deirdre L Slate, Gyorgy Abel, Jared R Auclair

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of molecular diagnostics : JMD, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 39% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Troy J GanzDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Life Sciences Testing Center, Northeastern University Innovation Campus in Burlington, Burlington, Massachusetts.
Rachel DonnerDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Life Sciences Testing Center, Northeastern University Innovation Campus in Burlington, Burlington, Massachusetts.
Kevin M HinesDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Life Sciences Testing Center, Northeastern University Innovation Campus in Burlington, Burlington, Massachusetts.
Markus L Waithe-AlleyneDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Life Sciences Testing Center, Northeastern University Innovation Campus in Burlington, Burlington, Massachusetts.
Deirdre L SlateDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Life Sciences Testing Center, Northeastern University Innovation Campus in Burlington, Burlington, Massachusetts.
Gyorgy AbelDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Life Sciences Testing Center, Northeastern University Innovation Campus in Burlington, Burlington, Massachusetts; Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Massachusetts. Electronic address: gyorgy_abel@hms.harvard.edu.
Jared R AuclairDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Life Sciences Testing Center, Northeastern University Innovation Campus in Burlington, Burlington, Massachusetts. Electronic address: j.auclair@northeastern.edu.
Northeastern University · USLahey Hospital and Medical Center · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Population testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is necessary because of the potential for viral transmission from asymptomatic cases, yet the scarcity of reagents and equipment has increased the cost-prohibitive implementation of screening campaigns at institutions of higher education. Significant analytical sensitivities of nucleic acid amplification methods permit sample pooling to increase testing capacity. Statistical models compared optimal testing configurations for pools of 3, 5, and 10 samples. Assessment of pooling using the TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit multiplex assay (ORF1ab, N, and S gene targets) involved a limit-of-detection study, matrix-effect study, and clinical comparison of neat with pooled samples. A limit of detection of 135.02 (ORF1ab; 95% CI, 117.21-155.52), 373.92 (N; 95% CI, 257.05-437.64), and 1001.32 (S; 95% CI, 896.62-1118.33) gene copy equivalents per milliliter was resolved. Seventy-two randomly selected samples showed slight suppression owing to a negative sample matrix. The resulting mean cycle threshold shifts were 2.09 (ORF1ab), 1.76 (N), and 2.31 (S) for the 3-sample pool, 2.83 (ORF1ab), 2.45 (N), and 3.24 (S) for the 5-sample pool, and 3.99 (ORF1ab), 3.46 (N), and 4.07 (S) for the 10-sample pool. Despite a quantitative sensitivity loss trend, the qualitative result was unaffected in each pool. According to the range of disease prevalence observed at the testing site (0.03% to 7.32%), a pool of five samples was deemed an optimal and cost-effective option for monitoring the Northeastern University community.

Indexed as

COVID-19COVID-19 TestingDiagnostic Tests, RoutineHumansNucleic Acid Amplification TechniquesReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionRetrospective StudiesRNA, ViralSARS-CoV-2Sensitivity and SpecificitySpecimen HandlingViral LoadRNA, Viral

Identifiers

PMID34562617
PMCPMC8457909
OpenAlexW3199721211

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.