Clinical impact of rapid viral respiratory panel testing on pediatric critical care of patients with acute lower respiratory infection

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine the impact of utilizing a rapid panel test of respiratory viral and atypical bacteria (FilmArray® Respiratory Panel, FA RP) on etiological diagnosis of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) and antimicrobial stewardship in critical care pediatric patients. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of patients aged < 18 years with clinical diagnosis of ALRI that were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Hospital Sant Joan de Deu (Barcelona, Spain) during December 2015–February 2017. Patients were diagnosed by FA RP and by a bundle of routine microbiological assays. RESULTS: ALRI viral and bacterial etiology was confirmed by a composite reference standard of routine microbiological assays in 72 (55.4%) and 15 (11.5%) respiratory samples, respectively, that were collected from 130 children (median age, 3.5 months, IQR 1.1–14.8 months; 54.6% male). Comparatively, FA RP use increased etiological confirmation of ALRI in up to 123 (94.6%) samples (p < 0.001) but only determined a bacterial origin in 2 (1.5%). Availability of diagnostic results before patient discharge from the PICU rose from 65.4 to 38.5% (p < 0.001). Use of the new panel test directly influenced antimicrobial stewardship in 11 (8.4%) episodes, leading to discontinuation of antiviral drugs (n = 5), administration of targeted antibiotics (n = 3), antiviral therapy start (n = 2) and both targeted antibiotic administration and discontinuation of antiviral drugs (n = 1). CONCLUSION: FA RP contributed to improve etiological diagnosis of ALRI in a timely manner while enhancing a more rational use of antimicrobial drugs in critical care pediatric patients.