• FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster. The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website. By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
  • We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.

Effect of rapid influenza diagnostic tests on patient management in an emergency department

tetano

Editor, Senior Moderator
Clin Exp Emerg Med. 2019 Feb 20. doi: 10.15441/ceem.17.281. [Epub ahead of print]
[h=1]Effect of rapid influenza diagnostic tests on patient management in an emergency department.[/h] Park JH[SUP]1[/SUP], Cho H[SUP]1[/SUP], Moon S[SUP]1[/SUP], Song JH[SUP]1[/SUP], Kim JY[SUP]1[/SUP], Ahn YS[SUP]1[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]

[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]Objective:[/h] We evaluated the effect of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) on patient management in an emergency department for 3 years after 2009, and also identified factors associated with the choice of treatment for patients with influenza-like illnesses.
[h=4]Methods:[/h] The study period consisted of three influenza epidemic seasons. Patients older than 15 years who underwent RIDTs in the emergency department and were then discharged without admission were included.
[h=4]Results:[/h] A total of 453 patients were enrolled, 114 of whom had positive RIDT results and 339 had negative results. Antiviral medication was prescribed to 103 patients (90.4%) who had positive RIDT results, while 1 patient (0.3%) who tested negative was treated with antivirals (P<0.001). Conservative care was administered to 11 RIDT-positive patients (9.6%) and 244 RIDT-negative patients (72.0%) (P<0.001). Symptom onset in less than 48 hours, being older than 65 years, and the presence of comorbidities were not associated with the administration of antiviral therapy.
[h=4]Conclusion:[/h] RIDT results had a critical effect on physician decision-making regarding antiviral treatment for patients with influenza-like illnesses in the emergency department. However, symptom onset in less than 48 hours, old age, and comorbidities, which are all indications for antiviral therapy, were not found to influence the administration of antiviral treatment.


[h=4]KEYWORDS:[/h] Diagnostic tests, routine; Emergency service, hospital; Influenza, human

PMID: 30781942 DOI: 10.15441/ceem.17.281
Free full text
 
Back
Top Bottom