Clinical Pediatrics: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

A Retrospective Analysis of the Impact of FilmArray Respiratory Panel Utilization on the Management of Pediatric Influenza

Hannah Carroll Driscoll*, Meghan Quigley, Kristen Turner, Hanna S. Sahhar

This study was designed to examine whether use of a Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing, FilmArray, impacted the care of pediatric patients with influenza during a single season, June 2017 - May 2018. Sixty patients were stratified into two cohorts with 23 in the FilmArray cohort versus 37 in the rapid antigen testing cohort. Analysis included: age, sex, race, length of hospital stay (LOS), influenza subtype, and rapid antigen testing. Seven patients tested positive with FilmArray but negative on rapid antigen testing, which supports the higher sensitivity and specificity of FilmArray testing. Patients receiving FilmArray testing had a longer LOS when compared to the rapid antigen cohort (median 46.7 hours vs 37.0 hours, respectively, p=0.04). No differences in LOS were noted when analyzed by influenza subtype. Results may indicate a difference in diagnostic practices between physicians or such testing may be independently associated with a high severity of illness.

Published Date: 2021-01-15; Received Date: 2020-06-25