Highlights
- •Patients with exacerbation of airways disease had syndromic POCT for viruses.
- •Antibiotics were stopped early in patients testing positive for viruses.
- •There was no difference between influenza and non-influenza viruses.
- •Syndromic POCT for viruses should be favoured over testing for influenza alone.
Summary
Background
Materials/methods
Results
Conclusions
Keywords
Introduction
Global Initiative for Asthma. Global strategy for asthma management and prevention. https://ginasthma.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/wms-GINA-2018-report-tracked_v1.3.pdf. Published 2015. Accessed 29th March 2019.
BTS/SIGN British Guideline on the Management of Asthma. 2016. https://www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/quality-improvement/guidelines/asthma. Accessed 29th March 2019.
Methods
Clinical data
Statistical analysis
Results
POCT group n = 143 | Control group n = 140 | p value | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
POCT positive n = 62 | POCT negative n = 81 | |||
Age, years [range] | 61 [19–93] | 65 [18–93] | 60 [19–92] | 0.11 |
Male sex | 21 (34) | 47 (58) | 69 (49) | 0.75 |
White ethnicity | 59 (95) | 79 (98) | 136 (97) | 0.69 |
Current smoker | 20 (30) | 28 (35) | 40 (29) | 0.65 |
Influenza vaccine | 38 (61) | 55 (68) | 94 (67) | 0.66 |
Duration of symptoms, days | 4 [3–6] | 4 [2–6] | 4 [2.3–5] | 0.52 |
Pulse rate, bpm | 103 [90–110] | 95 [83–110] | 100 [82–112] | 0.1 |
Respiratory rate, bpm | 25 [20–29] | 24 [20–28] | 24 [20–27] | 0.13 |
Supplemental O2 | 16 (26) | 19 (24) | 21 (15) | 0.13 |
Temperature, °C | 36.7 [36.2–37.2] | 36.6 [36.1–37] | 36.6 [36.3–37.2] | 0.45 |
CRP, mg/L | 23 [9–65] | 13 [4–53] | 17 [6–50] | 0.23 |
WCC, X109/L | 10.8 [8.1–13.3] | 10.6 [8.9–14.3] | 10.4 [7.9–13.4] | 0.31 |
CXR performed | 62 (100) | 80 (99) | 137 (97) | 0.34 |
Respiratory viral PCR | 62 (100) | 81 (100) | 48 (34) | <0.0001 |
Turnaround time for result, hours | 1.6 [1.3–3.0] | 1.6 [1.3–3.0] | 31.1 [25.1–49.2] | <0.0001 |
Length of stay, days | 2.7 [0.9–5.3] | 3.0 [0.9–5.2] | 3.1 [1.3–6.5] | 0.57 |
30 day mortality | 0 (0) | 2 (2.5) | 2 (1.5) | 0.46 |
Re-admission | 3 (5) | 21 (26) | 25 (18) | 0.0042 |
POCT positive | POCT negative | Control | p value | |
---|---|---|---|---|
n = 62 | n = 81 | n = 140 | ||
Received any antibiotic | 49/62 (79) | 69/81 (85) | 111/140 (79) | 0.51 |
Received IV antibiotics | 20/62 (32) | 28/81 (35) | 43/140 (31) | 0.84 |
Duration of any antibiotic, days | 5.5 [0–6.9] | 6.3 [5.4–7.4] | 6.4 [5.5–7.4] | 0.012 |
Duration of IV antibiotic, hours | 1 [1 –48] | 6.5 [1–62] | 26 [1–72] | 0.09 |
Received a single dose of antibiotics only | 14/49 (29) | 7/69 (10) | 6/111 (5) | 0.0001 |
Received <24 h antibiotics | 17/49 (35) | 9/69 (13) | 7/111 (6) | <0.0001 |



Influenza A or B n = 12 | Rhino/enterovirus n = 26 | Other viruses Combined n = 24 | p value | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Received any antibiotic | 10/12 (83) | 21/26 (81) | 18/24 (75) | 0.42 |
Received IV antibiotic | 7/12 (58) | 6/26 (23) | 5/24 (21) | 0.044 |
Duration of antibiotics, days | 6.3 [0.7–8.0] | 6.0 [0.4–6.9] | 2.0 [0–6.5] | 0.25 |
Duration of IV antibiotic, hours | 1 [1–68] | 30 [1–91] | 1 [1–28] | 0.26 |
Received a single dose of antibiotics only | 2/10 (20) | 5/21 (24) | 7/18 (39) | 0.46 |
Received <24 h antibiotics | 3/10 (30) | 6 /21(29) | 8/18 (44) | 0.55 |

Discussion
Funding
Competing interests
Acknowledgements
References
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