PLoS ONE (Jan 2022)

Availability and use of rapid diagnostic tests for the management of acute childhood infections in Europe: A cross-sectional survey of paediatricians.

  • Juan Emmanuel Dewez,
  • Lucy Pembrey,
  • Ruud G Nijman,
  • Stefano Del Torso,
  • Zachi Grossman,
  • Adamos Hadjipanayis,
  • Diego Van Esso,
  • Emma Lim,
  • Marieke Emonts,
  • James Burns,
  • Christèle Gras-LeGuen,
  • Daniela Kohlfuerst,
  • Hans Jürgen Dornbusch,
  • Karen Brengel-Pesce,
  • Francois Mallet,
  • Ulrich von Both,
  • Maria Tsolia,
  • Irini Eleftheriou,
  • Dace Zavadska,
  • Ronald de Groot,
  • Michiel van der Flier,
  • Henriëtte Moll,
  • Nienke Hagedoorn,
  • Dorine Borensztajn,
  • Rianne Oostenbrink,
  • Taco Kuijpers,
  • Marko Pokorn,
  • Katarina Vincek,
  • Federico Martinón-Torres,
  • Irene Rivero,
  • Philipp Agyeman,
  • Enitan D Carrol,
  • Stéphane Paulus,
  • Aubrey Cunnington,
  • Jethro Herberg,
  • Michael Levin,
  • Aida Mujkić,
  • Karin Geitmann,
  • Liviana Da Dalt,
  • Arūnas Valiulis,
  • Risto Lapatto,
  • Garyfallia Syridou,
  • Péter Altorjai,
  • Paul Torpiano,
  • Ketil Størdal,
  • Károly Illy,
  • Artur Mazur,
  • Mateja Vintar Spreitzer,
  • Joana Rios,
  • Corinne Wyder,
  • Ivanna Romankevych,
  • Romain Basmaci,
  • Salvador Ibanez-Mico,
  • Shunmay Yeung

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275336
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 12
p. e0275336

Abstract

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BackgroundPoint-of-care-tests (POCTs) have been advocated to optimise care in patients with infections but their actual use varies. This study aimed to estimate the variability in the adoption of current POCTs by paediatricians across Europe, and to explore the determinants of variability.Methods and findingsA cross-sectional survey was conducted of hospital and primary care paediatricians, recruited through professional networks. Questions focused on the availability and use of currently available POCTs. Data were analysed descriptively and using Median Odds Ratio (MOR) to measure variation between countries. Multilevel regression modelling using changes in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of models were used to assess the contribution of individual or workplace versus country level factors, to the observed variation. The commonest POCT was urine dipsticks (UD) which were available to >80% of primary care and hospital paediatricians in 68% (13/19) and 79% (23/29) countries, respectively. Availability of all POCTs varied between countries. In primary care, the country (MOR) varied from 1.61 (95%CI: 1.04-2.58) for lactate to 7.28 (95%CI: 3.04-24.35) for UD. In hospitals, the country MOR varied from 1.37 (95%CI:1.04-1.80) for lactate to 11.93 (95%CI:3.35-72.23) for UD. Most paediatricians in primary care (69%, 795/1154) and hospital (81%, 962/1188) would use a diagnostic test in the case scenario of an infant with undifferentiated fever. Multilevel regression modelling showed that the country of work was more important in predicting both the availability and use of POCTs than individual or workplace characteristics.ConclusionThere is substantial variability in the adoption of POCTs for the management of acute infections in children across Europe. To inform future implementation of both existing and innovative tests, further research is needed to understand what drives the variation between countries, the needs of frontline clinicians, and the role of diagnostic tests in the management of acute childhood infections.