According to data, the use of real-time PCR testing reduced antibiotic treatment and the use of chest X-rays among children hospitalized for acute respiratory infections.
“Overall antibiotic and chest X-ray utilization were lower in the multiplex PCR testing group; however, multiplex PCR testing was not independently associated with decreases in antibiotic or chest X-ray utilization but was associated with an increased use of isolation,” Anupama Subramony, MD, said during a presentation. “Future studies should focus on assessing the utility of using the testing for long periods of time to account for potential lag time after test introduction, to assess the impact of this increased use of isolation precautions on healthcare-associated infections and, finally, to define discrete populations for which multiplex PCR testing can be most cost-effective.”
