Utility of multiplex PCR panels for optimum management of lower respiratory Infections Employing FilmArray Pneumonia Plus Testing-results of the UPLIFT study.

Venkitakrishnan R, Basheer BA, Cleetus M, +5 more, John S.

research-articleOpen access

AI summary — for doctors, generated from the abstract only

In a prospective study, a multiplex PCR respiratory panel (FilmArray Pneumonia Plus) detected pathogens far more often than conventional culture in hospitalized patients with lower respiratory tract infection, and its use was associated with shorter antibiotic duration and hospital stay.

What was studied

A prospective study of 103 patients hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), comparing the diagnostic yield, turnaround time, and clinical impact (antibiotic modification, duration of antibiotic therapy, and length of hospital stay) of the FilmArray Pneumonia Plus multiplex PCR panel (FAPP) versus conventional microbiologic culture.

Key findings

FAPP detected at least one pathogen in 92 of 103 patients (89.3%), compared with conventional culture, which detected a pathogen in only 36 of 103 patients (34.9%).
The mean duration of antibiotic therapy was shorter in FAPP-positive cases (4.89 days) than in FAPP-negative cases (7.2 days, P=.019), and the mean hospital stay was shorter in FAPP-positive cases (5.14 days) than FAPP-negative cases (7.6 days, P=.007).
Antimicrobial therapy modification guided by FAPP results was achieved in 83 of 103 patients (80.6%), substantially higher than with conventional culture, and FAPP had a notably faster mean turnaround time than culture.

Clinical relevance

The findings suggest that multiplex PCR testing for lower respiratory tract infection may improve pathogen detection, enable faster and more frequent antibiotic modification to support antimicrobial stewardship, and potentially shorten antibiotic duration and hospital stay compared with relying on conventional culture alone, which may be relevant for hospitals considering adopting rapid molecular diagnostics for LRTI management.

Who should care

Pulmonary Medicine

Limitations

This is a single-center study with a modest sample size (103 patients) that does not appear to be randomized, so the observed differences in antibiotic duration and hospital stay between FAPP-positive and FAPP-negative groups could be influenced by underlying differences between these groups, such as disease severity or having an identifiable, treatable pathogen, rather than the test itself.

A multiplex PCR respiratory panel detected far more pathogens than conventional culture in hospitalized lower respiratory tract infection patients and was linked to shorter antibiotic courses and hospital stays.

This is an AI-generated summary of the published abstract, not a clinical recommendation. It may not reflect the full text or subsequent updates — verify against the original source before acting on it.

Abstract

Background and objective

The objectives of this study were to assess the yield of multiplex PCR testing in LRTI and its utility in antimicrobial streamlining. Establishing the microbial aetiology is of paramount importance for tailored antimicrobial therapy in lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). Multiplex PCR panels (FilmArray Pneumonia Plus Panel [FAPP]) have been shown to provide better diagnostic yield in LRTI.

Methods

A total of 103 patients hospitalized with LRTI were enrolled. The culture isolates, their sensitivity pattern, and antimicrobial resistance were noted. Time taken for availability of FAPP results as well as culture positivity was documented. Antibiotic modification made based on identification of the pathogens along with their resistant gene patterns from appropriate samples and time taken to reach that decision was noted and compared between conventional culture and FAPP.

Results

FAPP detected at least one pathogen in (92/103) of tested specimens. Conventional culture detected at least one pathogen in 36 (34.9%) cases only. The mean duration of antibiotic therapy in FAPP-positive cases was 4.89 ± 1.84 days versus 7.2 ± 3.83 days in cases where FAPP was negative ( P value of 0.019). Similarly, the duration of hospital stay in FAPP-positive cases versus -negative cases was 5.136 ± 1.73 days versus 7.6 ± 3.36 days, respectively ( P value 0.007). Mean turnaround time (TAT) for the FAPP was strikingly low with FAPP. Antimicrobial modification guided by FAPP was achieved in 83 out of 103 patients (80.6%), substantially higher than with conventional culture.

Conclusion

In hospitalized patients with LRTI, FAPP provided better diagnostic sensitivity, better detection of resistance, faster TAT, higher potential for antimicrobial modification, lesser days of antibiotic use, and shorter hospital stay compared to culture.

DOI

10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_30_26

PMID

42671413

PMCID

PMC13568555

Research metadata (titles, abstracts, authors, publication dates) is sourced from Europe PMC, which aggregates content from PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and other providers under the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM/NCBI). NLM does not claim copyright on abstracts; the original journal publishers or authors may hold rights to the full articles. AI-generated summaries are derived only from the abstract, never the full text, and are always labeled as AI-generated.

Want more like this?

Browse more from the feed. A free account unlocks the full feed, saving and communities.

Back to the research feed

Create a free account · Sign in