The cost effectiveness of the respiratory virus panel in childhood febrile neutropenia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical utility and cost of the respiratory virus panel test in the febrile neutropenia (FN) episode in children undergoing chemotherapy. Material and Method: From 2014 to 2018, 180 episodes of FN in 93 children with cancer were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into those with (Group A) and without respiratory virus panel (Group B). The demographic and clinical features and cost analysis of the groups A and B were noted. Results: Of these FN episodes, 46 were in Group A (25.5%) and 134 were in Group B (74.5%). We found positivity in 45 (97.8%) of 46 episodes in Group A. While modification was required in 14 FN episodes (30.4%) in Group A, modification was required in 35 FN episodes (26.1%) in group B. The difference was not statistically significant (p=0.570). In Group A, only 5 (10.8%) were modified according to the respiratory virus panel. The respiratory virus panel prices were $72.43 (interquartile range, $38.8). The ratio of respiratory virus panel cost to the total cost was 9.67% (interquartile range 11.6). The median total cost of group A was $663.18 (interquartile range, 850.1), while that of group B was $596.24 (interquartile range, 723.81). The difference was not statistically significant (p=0.141). Conclusion: The respiratory virus panel may contribute to the preference of antibiotics by giving rapid results in FN attacks. However, no effect on modification rates was observed, and only a small percentage of patients underwent antibiotic modification according to respiratory virus panel.

Keywords

• febrile neutropenia
• respiratory virus panel
• children
• febrile neutropenia
• respiratory virus panel
• children