About: We tested the hypothesis that the results of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses for respiratory viruses would reduce antibiotic treatment and length of stay in elderly patients hospitalized with respiratory infections. Within 24 h of hospital admission, a total of 922 patients aged ≥60 years were interviewed for symptoms of ongoing respiratory tract infection. Symptomatic patients were swabbed for oropharyngeal/nasopharyngeal presence of viral pathogens immediately by members of the study group. During a 2-month period, non-symptomatic volunteers among interviewed patients were swabbed as well (controls). Oropharyngeal/nasopharyngeal swabs were analyzed with real-time PCR for nine common respiratory viruses. A total of 147 out of 173 symptomatic patients and 56 non-symptomatic patients (controls) agreed to participate in the study. The patients were allocated to three cohorts: (1) symptomatic and PCR-positive (S/PCR+), (2) symptomatic and PCR-negative (S/PCR−), or (3) non-symptomatic and PCR-negative (control). There were no non-symptomatic patients with a positive PCR result. A non-significant difference in the frequency of empiric antibiotic administration was found when comparing the S/PCR+ to the S/PCR− cohort; 16/19 (84 %) vs. 99/128 (77 %) (χ(2) = 0.49). Antibiotic treatment was withdrawn in only two patients in the S/PCR+ cohort after receiving a positive viral diagnosis. The length of stay did not significantly differ between the S/PCR+ and the S/PCR− groups. We conclude that, at least in our general hospital setting, access to early viral diagnosis by real-time PCR had little impact on the antimicrobial treatment or length of hospitalization of elderly patients. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10096-013-1963-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.   Goto Sponge  NotDistinct  Permalink

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  • We tested the hypothesis that the results of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses for respiratory viruses would reduce antibiotic treatment and length of stay in elderly patients hospitalized with respiratory infections. Within 24 h of hospital admission, a total of 922 patients aged ≥60 years were interviewed for symptoms of ongoing respiratory tract infection. Symptomatic patients were swabbed for oropharyngeal/nasopharyngeal presence of viral pathogens immediately by members of the study group. During a 2-month period, non-symptomatic volunteers among interviewed patients were swabbed as well (controls). Oropharyngeal/nasopharyngeal swabs were analyzed with real-time PCR for nine common respiratory viruses. A total of 147 out of 173 symptomatic patients and 56 non-symptomatic patients (controls) agreed to participate in the study. The patients were allocated to three cohorts: (1) symptomatic and PCR-positive (S/PCR+), (2) symptomatic and PCR-negative (S/PCR−), or (3) non-symptomatic and PCR-negative (control). There were no non-symptomatic patients with a positive PCR result. A non-significant difference in the frequency of empiric antibiotic administration was found when comparing the S/PCR+ to the S/PCR− cohort; 16/19 (84 %) vs. 99/128 (77 %) (χ(2) = 0.49). Antibiotic treatment was withdrawn in only two patients in the S/PCR+ cohort after receiving a positive viral diagnosis. The length of stay did not significantly differ between the S/PCR+ and the S/PCR− groups. We conclude that, at least in our general hospital setting, access to early viral diagnosis by real-time PCR had little impact on the antimicrobial treatment or length of hospitalization of elderly patients. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10096-013-1963-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
subject
  • Virology
  • Biotechnology
  • Therapy
  • Polymerase chain reaction
  • Disability
  • Amplifiers
  • American inventions
  • DNA profiling techniques
  • Hoffmann-La Roche
  • Laboratory techniques
  • Molecular biology
  • Molecular biology techniques
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