Diagnostics

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COVID-19 Reporting System, CT Severity Score Are Effective Diagnostic Tools

By

Sheila Jacobs

The COVID-19 Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS) in combination with a CT severity score are easy to use diagnostic tools to guide clinicians in diagnosing COVID-19.

Determining the Optimal Level of Neutralizing Antibodies Key for COVID-19 Plasma Therapy

By

Sweta Gupta

Investigators summarized the evidence on the efficacy and adverse effects of antifungal agents in patients with hematological disease or undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

LT-RAMP Provides Accurate and Rapid COVID-19 Detection: A Real World Study

By

Zahra Masoud

Researchers compared a novel reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification method to the gold standard, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and assessed the accuracy in detecting SARS-CoV-2.

COVID-19 Molecular Point-of-Care vs PCR Testing Reduces Time to Results

By

Sheila Jacobs

In hospitalized patients with COVID-19, the routine use of molecular point-of-care testing in emergency department admissions was associated with a large reduction in time to results compared with laboratory PCR testing.

Modified Early Warning Score Predicts Deterioration in COVID-19 Patients

By

Bradley van Paridon

Study authors assessed the specificity and positive predictive value of a customized, institutional, early warning score for predicting decompensation in COVID-19 patients.

Diagnostic Circulating Anodic Antigen Test for Schistosoma haematobium Infections

By

Zahra Masoud

Study authors investigated UCP-LF circulating anodic antigen (CAA) as a potential diagnostic test for Schistosoma haematobium in pregnant women.

Time to Results Faster With Point-of-Care COVID-19 Testing

Point-of-care testing is associated with large reductions in the time to results for patients presenting with suspected COVID-19.

Performance of 5 Immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2 Compared

By

Sweta Gupta

A comparative assessment of 5 immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2 showed that these assays achieved sensitivity and specificity of at least 98%.

Diagnosing Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Pulmonary Disease Via Gastric Aspirate Culture

By

Virginia A. Schad, PharmD, RPh

In settings where acid-fast bacilli pulmonary diseases are suspected, gastric aspirate culture may be helpful for diagnosing Mycobacterium avium complex and M kansasii pulmonary disease.

Point-of-Care COVID-19 Antibody Test Gets Emergency Use Authorization

By

Brian Park, PharmD

The reissued EUA allows for fingerstick blood samples to be tested in point-of-care settings.

Sensitivity of 3 ICT Assays Higher During Intermediate, Late COVID-19 Stages

By

Sweta Gupta

Researchers compared 3 immunochromatographic assays (Sienna™, Wondfo®, and Prometheus™) to detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in serum samples, using RT-qPCR as a reference.

Infection Risk Low in Patients With PJI and Concomitant Asymptomatic Prosthetic Implants

By

Sweta Gupta

There is a low incidence of second PJI in patients with bacteremia or hematogenous periprosthetic joint infection with concomitant prosthetic implants.

Caution Required When Using Supplementary Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests for Gonorrhea

By

Zahra Masoud

Research results highlighted the need for continued supplemental NAATs for oropharyngeal samples being tested for Nisseria gonorrhoeae.

Abbott’s 15-Minute COVID-19 Antigen Test Gets Emergency Use Authorization

By

Brian Park, PharmD

Results are provided within 15 minutes and can be read directly from the testing card.

Exploring Potential Biomarkers for Severe COVID-19 and Moderate to Severe ARDS

By

Bradley van Paridon

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio may be a valuable biomarker to help clinicians recognize severe COVID-19 infection with moderate to severe ARDS.

Routine Hepatitis C Testing at Federally Qualified Health Centers Would Be Cost-Effective

Routine hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) would be cost-effective and could improve outcomes for people with HCV infections.

Novel Immunoassay Demonstrates Predictive Utility in PrEP Adherence, HIV Protection

By

Zahra Masoud

A novel tenofovir urine immunoassay demonstrated predictive utility and may adequately determine PrEP adherence.

Efficacy of Bundled HIV, HCV Testing for People With Substance Abuse Disorders Examined

By

Bradley van Paridon

By providing bundled HIV and HCV testing, substance use disorder treatment programs may create increased awareness of infection status among people with substance abuse disorders.

Research Needed to Establish Diagnostic Chest CT Criteria for COVID-19

By

Sweta Gupta

A team of researchers performed a systematic review to assess the methodologic quality of studies on the use of chest computed tomographic (CT) imaging in patients with COVID-19 and to determine the frequency of different chest CT findings.

Evidence Poor for Accuracy of Serological Tests for COVID-19

Existing evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of serological tests for COVID-19 is characterized by high risks of bias and heterogeneity.