Researchers examined the RNA test’s efficacy by comparing it to the typical method of evaluating young infants with fever. The usual method involves culturing bacteria from blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid.
Researchers compared the RNA test results to cultures taken from 279 infants, younger than two months, with fever treated in 22 emergency departments. The study found that the test was accurate, with 66 RNA biosignatures distinguishing infants with and without bacterial infections.
“Our findings suggest that we can quickly and reliably identify whether an infant has a bacterial infection or not by analyzing RNA biosignatures, which are genomic markers of the child’s immune response,” said Elizabeth Powell, MD, MPH, study co-author and emergency department physician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. “A simple blood test could replace invasive procedures like a spinal tap.”
The researchers will continue examining the RNA test with funding from a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health.
More articles on healthcare quality:
FDA bans triclosan from antibacterial soap: 6 things to know
How much hand sanitizer is enough?
Nutrition supplements lower costs, prolong lives of malnourished adults in hospital
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
