Practice Patterns and Perceptions of Influenza Testing Amongst Pediatric Urgent Care Providers

Elsevier

Available online 18 September 2022, 115818

Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious DiseaseKey Points1

Pediatric urgent care providers recognize that influenza is a common childhood respiratory disorder, however, the reliability of its diagnosis solely on clinical symptoms is fading.

2

RIDT testing is becoming preferred not only to increase provider confidence, but also to help distinguish from other high-risk, high-implication viral diseases.

3

Most pediatric urgent care providers reported higher confidence in their diagnosis and higher likelihood of prescribing antivirals with a positive RIDT rather than by clinical symptoms alone, especially in the era of SARS-CoV-2.

AbstractIntroduction

Despite a sensitivity of 50-70% the rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT) continues to play an important role in clinical decision-making due to its quick turn-around time, high specificity, relative simplicity of use, and low cost.

Methods

A quantitative study using a web-based survey was distributed to 110 members of the Society of Pediatric Urgent Care aimed to assess RIDT use for diagnosis and management of influenza in outpatient pediatric patients.

Results

Responses from 61 providers were received. Forty-two percent (95% CI 29.5-54.5%) of respondents report higher confidence in their diagnosis of influenza with the aid of a positive RIDT. 28% of respondents (95% CI 16.6-39.4%) report a higher likelihood of prescribing antiviral medications to low-risk patients if an RIDT is positive, than without laboratory confirmation.

Conclusion

Most pediatric urgent care respondents reported higher confidence in their diagnosis and higher likelihood of prescribing antivirals with a positive RIDT rather than by clinical symptoms alone.

Keywords

Rapid diagnostic test

flu

pediatric influenza

RIDT

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