Analysis of the impact of FilmArray respiratory panel utilization on the management of pediatric asthma exacerbations AP Hughes, M Barcroft, S (Farber) Bland, H Sahhar, K Turner Spartanburg Regional Medical Center - PGY1 - Spartanburg, SC
Background/Purpose: In the pediatric population, a common reason for hospital admission is asthma exacerbation often associated with a concomitant respiratory infection. Rapid diagnostic testing has been shown to decrease hospital length of stay and improve antibiotic utilization. However, this impact has not been well defined in the pediatric asthmatic population. A common rapid diagnostic test used in the hospital setting is a FilmArray respiratory panel which detects seventeen respiratory viruses and three bacterial agents through a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. While this testing modality is effective and specific, it comes with a high cost. In this study, we aim to assess the impact of FilmArray respiratory panel testing on the management of pediatric asthmatic patients.
Methodology: A single-center, retrospective, observational study conducted at a 540-bed community-based teaching hospital. Pediatric patients diagnosed with asthma exacerbations admitted to the general pediatrics unit or pediatric intensive care unit from October 1, 2016 - November 30, 2017 were included in the study. Patients were stratified into two cohorts: patients with FilmArray testing vs. those without FilmArray testing. In addition to patient demographics, the following data were collected from the electronic medical record: hospital length of stay, utilization of antibiotic therapy, FilmArray respiratory panel and duplicate diagnostic testing results. _x000D_
Presentation Objective: Describe the effect of utilization of the FilmArray respiratory panel on the management of pediatric asthma exacerbations.
Self-Assessment: Is the FilmArray respiratory panel a beneficial diagnostic tool for guiding treatment and decreasing hospital length of stay in pediatric asthma exacerbations?
