Utilization of the respiratory virus multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test for adult patients at a Korean tertiary care center.
10.3904/kjim.2015.30.1.96
- Author:
Mi Young AHN
1
;
Seong Ho CHOI
;
Jin Won CHUNG
;
Hye Ryoun KIM
Author Information
1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. tobeserve@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Viruses;
Respiratory tract infections;
Multiplex polymerase chain reaction
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Community-Acquired Infections/*diagnosis/virology;
DNA, Viral/*genetics;
Female;
Hospitals, University;
Humans;
Influenza, Human/*diagnosis/virology;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/*utilization;
Pneumonia, Viral/*diagnosis/virology;
Predictive Value of Tests;
Republic of Korea;
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/*utilization;
*Tertiary Care Centers
- From:The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine
2015;30(1):96-103
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Respiratory viruses (RVs) are considered to be important respiratory pathogens in adult patients, and the multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is used frequently in adult patients with respiratory infections. However, clinical data regarding utilization of the multiplex RT-PCR test for RVs are lacking. METHODS: We investigated the utilization of the multiplex RT-PCR test for RVs at Chung-Ang University Hospital in Seoul, Korea, between January 2012 and April 2013. RESULTS: During the study period, the multiplex RT-PCR test was performed for 291 adult patients. The test frequency was 4.9% of rapid influenza antigen detection tests and 0.8% of respiratory bacterial culture studies. A turnaround time of < 48 hours was observed in 25.9% of positive tests. Most of the tests were performed for admitted patients (97.9%) with a community-acquired infection (84.2%) during the flu season (82.5%). RVs were detected in 81 of 291 cases (27.8%). The RV positivity rates for community- and hospital-acquired infections did not differ (28.6% vs. 23.9%, p = 0.52). Of 166 patients with pneumonia, 44 (26.5%) had a viral infection. Among the patients with RV-associated pneumonia, an RV other than influenza was detected in 20 patients (45.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The multiplex RT-PCR test for RVs was infrequently performed at a tertiary care center, and the test results were often reported late. The test was most often performed for admitted adult patients with community-acquired infections during the flu season. The utilization of multiplex RT-PCR testing for RVs in current clinical practice should be improved.
