Diagnostic Stewardship: A Primer

By Shannon Smith

Honing test selection can enable faster implementation of appropriate treatment, reduce costs, and support patient care in a range of settings

In the past decade, the practice of diagnostic stewardship has gained traction in the clinical laboratory community and broader healthcare field. Related to, yet distinct from antimicrobial stewardship, diagnostic stewardship aims to enable clinicians to provide the right test to the right patient at the right time to promote the right action. Given that the vast majority of healthcare decisions are now based on data produced by laboratory medicine, diagnostic stewardship ensures that tests are deployed strategically to offer patients the best possible outcomes.

Taking a More Focused Approach to Patient Care

Diagnostic Stewardship drives clinical action, typically through rapid-result tests that quickly give physicians the information they need to escalate or de-escalate antibiotics as soon as possible.  The goal is to avoid keeping patients on inappropriate therapy. Instead, critically ill patients—such as those suffering from bloodstream infections—may be shifted away from broad-spectrum antibiotics towards targeted therapies in order to rein in the development of antibiotic resistance. Deploying these tests appropriately offers additional benefits as well, including the ability to more easily track intervention fidelity, or how often a specific test changes the doctor’s choice of treatment, in order to continually hone the diagnostic stewardship effort.

While these features comprise important aspects within diagnostic stewardship, diagnostic stewardship goes beyond informing the correct antimicrobial treatment, maintaining a place in both in-patient and outpatient settings. By utilizing strategic testing algorithms, diagnostic stewardship programs can reduce unnecessary testing while ensuring that the tests selected to inform a patient’s particular treatment are the ones most likely to provide actionable and timely results. Appropriate usage of diagnostic tests can aid in reducing the cost burden for patients by tailoring test selections to reflect the patient’s needs, symptoms, and the seasonality rather than defaulting to a broader syndromic test.

Diagnostic Stewardship Takes Place Beyond the Lab

Even though clinical laboratories maintain the majority of responsibility for diagnostic stewardship programs, these programs require exceptional collaboration between the laboratory and clinical care partners. In some cases, close attention to patients’ symptoms may enable labs to skip certain tests or guide the selection of other tests. For example, there are specific situations where it is appropriate to test for C. difficile in patients with diarrhea; a good stewardship program will lead to effective testing algorithms that guide the usage of C. diff testing, such as for patients with a history of C. diff versus those without. Laboratories must work with front line physicians and other clinical staff to provide the right tests to help compliment treatment decisions based on patient history and presentation. This collaboration may help clinicians to interpret test results as accurately and holistically as possible.

Diasorin is leading the discussion on addressing your needs for diagnostic stewardship programs.  Our company is built on helping clinicians find the solutions they need from targeted tests to syndromic tests for multiple disease states.

Check out these resources to learn more:

Join Us in Raising Awareness about Antimicrobial Stewardship

Rapid molecular diagnostics make a difference for both antimicrobial resistance and C. difficile

It’s World Antimicrobial Awareness Week! A global campaign from the World Health Organization occurring November 18-24 is dedicated to raising awareness about the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.

This challenge is no surprise to the life science community, where scientists and clinicians alike have been battling the effects of increasing pathogen resistance to our go-to therapies. Antibiotics in particular are increasingly ineffective; doctors around the world are now regularly reporting bacterial strains that are resistant to all known classes of treatment.

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Antimicrobial resistance threatens to erase decades of medical progress

Returning us to the days when bacterial infections were often fatal. Researchers have estimated that antibiotic resistance was responsible for nearly 1.3 million deaths in 2019 alone.

Fortunately, there is cause for hope. In a report published in 2019, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that antimicrobial stewardship programs have been successful over time, making a noticeable dent in the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic and mass use of antibiotics for hospitalized patients appears to have reversed much of that progress. Still, the stewardship model has proven effective. Rolling out similar programs around the world could make a real difference in slowing the spread of drug-resistant pathogens.

One of the most important pillars of antimicrobial stewardship is the use of rapid molecular diagnostic tests that provide actionable information about a pathogen’s drug-resistance profile. Generating these results quickly makes it possible to deescalate patients from broad-spectrum antibiotics to more targeted treatments that are less likely to cause resistance.

We are proud to offer tests that are contributing to the fight against antimicrobial resistance

Clinical laboratories often use our VERIGENE® Bloodstream Infection assay portfolio to identify specific pathogens and their resistance profile in order to guide treatment selection. These assays generate results directly from positive blood culture bottles and produce actionable results in just three hours, slashing more than 30 hours from the traditional culture-based testing workflow and allowing doctors to adjust antibiotic use in a clinically relevant time frame.

Finding effective and responsible ways to avoid the long-term use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is also essential for reducing incidents of hospital-acquired infections. One notably common hospital-acquired infection is that caused by Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), which generates severe gastrointestinal distress. Overuse of heavy-duty antibiotics is one of the primary causes of C. diff spread; the infection is often acquired when patients’ healthy microbiomes have been wiped out, leaving them vulnerable to such pathogens.

While C. diff infection can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening, it is not well known in the general public. That’s why November is C. diff Awareness Month, a designation implemented several years ago by the CDC in an effort to help people better understand C. diff infection and how to prevent it.

Because C. diff infections can pose major consequences for patients, rapid detection and treatment are highly important. We have developed both the ARIES® C. difficile Assay, an in-vitro diagnostic that produces results in just two hours, and the Simplexa® C. difficile Direct Kit, which is designed for moderate-complexity CLIA labs and generates results in about an hour.

The Luminex team is committed to helping in the fight against antimicrobial resistance and related hospital-acquired infections such as C. diff. We encourage you to participate in awareness-raising efforts to promote better health for all.

Check out these resources to learn more:

For GI Testing, Targeted Panels Meet Today’s Reimbursement Criteria

The importance of diagnostic stewardship in gastrointestinal (GI) testing

Diagnostic stewardship involves more than choosing the correct diagnostic test and technology to deliver the needed clinical result. For clinical laboratory professionals, the objective of diagnostic stewardship is to ensure both the clinical and financial needs of the patient are met by decreasing unnecessary testing and overuse of antibiotics.

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Balancing patient needs and reimbursement realities in GI testing is essential to the clinical laboratory’s responsibility. For example, while large syndromic panel tests once appeared to be an optimal solution for some disease areas, payers’ reluctance (such as Medicare restrictions) to cover such broad tests has been a significant factor limiting their use.

Challenges of including C. diff in large syndromic panels

Thus, the importance of diagnostic stewardship in GI testing and reimbursement is particularly evident today, where GI testing historically has consisted of large syndromic panels that include C. difficile. Unfortunately, this approach can lead to over testing, since 20% of the population is asymptomatically colonized with C. diff, and so detecting this pathogen through broad panel testing often leads to overtreatment for patients whose GI symptoms are caused by something else entirely. Therefore, detecting these asymptomatic cases of C. diff is unhelpful for the patient clinically and financially, and professional organizations such as the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recommend against C. diff testing altogether, unless warranted.

The benefits of targeted GI panel testing

Rather, clinicians prefer a more targeted testing option, where differential diagnosis can narrow potential pathogens as the cause of infection and thereby not result in costly over testing and overtreatment. When adapting to a changing reimbursement landscape, targeted GI panel testing as a solution becomes clear, as it shouldn’t be surprising that payers are opposed to reimbursing for these broad tests when they are not necessary. Furthermore, for typical patient populations, clinical laboratory teams are better served by choosing a more targeted GI panel test that does not include C. diff. One option is the VERIGENE® Enteric Pathogens (EP) Test, which meets GI testing guidelines from the IDSA for community-acquired diarrhea.

Choosing a more targeted panel can better serve most patient populations

Selecting a targeted GI panel to maximize reimbursement potential is more important today than ever. After three costly years of the COVID-19 pandemic, payers are exercising caution when it comes to overtesting, so clinical laboratory teams should expect increased scrutiny for any test that may be seen as unnecessary, with large syndromic panels at the top of that list. Medicare is already restricting the use of many targets to avoid overtesting, and other payers are likely to do the same.

Simplifying reimbursement and adapting to changes

Therefore, choosing a more targeted panel can be one of the more effective GI testing strategies for optimized reimbursement, and other single-target tests can be added as needed, such as C. diff testing in specific patients for whom that is appropriate. Starting small and having the opportunity to add on puts labs in a stronger position to meet today’s reimbursement criteria and avoid passing onerous costs onto their patients. This approach also makes it simpler for labs to navigate the frequent changes that occur in coverage determinations. After all, it’s easier and more cost-effective to add a target or two than to scrap an entire syndromic panel and start over.

Check out these resources to learn more:

During Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, We’re Celebrating the Benefits of Early Detection and Intervention

Multiplexed genomic testing can identify cystic fibrosis early and pave the way for lifelong benefits from early administration of therapies and other interventions

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Benefits of Early Detection and Intervention for Cystic Fibrosis

For many people, a cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis can be devastating—the rare genetic disorder affects breathing and digestion, potentially leading to lung damage, infections, and malnourishment. Because cystic fibrosis is progressive, symptoms tend to worsen over time. The life expectancy of people with cystic fibrosis is significantly shorter than average: babies born with the disorder in recent years are expected to live to around age 56.

Be that as it may, there has recently been tremendous progress in CF treatment. Not long ago, the typical life expectancy for patients with cystic fibrosis was in the 30s. Today, some patients are able to live decades longer than initially expected.

The Role of Multiplexed Genomic Testing in Cystic Fibrosis Detection

Much of that progress is due to new therapeutic options that have done wonders for patients’ prognosis. One such approach is gene therapy, which has been used in research studies as well as clinical trials to repair the aberrant CFTR gene responsible for the phenotype of patients with cystic fibrosis.

The month of May has been designated Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month to help call attention to the challenges many people with this disorder face and to celebrate advancements in their care. Here at Luminex, we’re pleased to support and educate people about cystic fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis Carrier and Newborn Screening Guidelines

Luminex Dot Pattern

While therapies and other types of intervention are key to offering CF patients better health outcomes, getting patients on those therapies is only possible with a proper diagnosis. That’s why we are proud to offer three panel-based tests that utilize multiplexing to support accurate and early detection of cystic fibrosis by detecting the genetic variants associated with CF across a broad range of ethnicities.

Here’s a quick overview of our cystic fibrosis product offerings:

  • xTAG® CF39v2 Kit: Detects 39 mutations/variants that includes ACMG 23 and 16 additional mutations commonly found in the US population
  • xTAG® CF60v2 Kit: Detects 60 mutations/variants that includes ACMG 23 mutations and 37 North American most common (16 + 21) mutations
  • xTAG® CF71v2 Kit: Detects 71 mutations that includes ACMG 23 mutations and 48 European/North American most common (16 + 32) mutations

Recommendations for carrier screening and newborn screening for cystic fibrosis mutations have expanded over time. Most recently, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists updated its guidelines to encourage carrier screening for cystic fibrosis for all women who are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant, regardless of ancestry or ethnicity. This was a much-needed expansion that overcame the limitations of previous ancestry-specific recommendations. In addition, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation cites the importance of newborn screening to enable early detection and intervention.

We are proud to support clinical laboratory teams that provide cystic fibrosis screening or diagnosis to help give patients a better chance at a healthy life. Please help this community by spreading the word about Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month!

To learn more about Luminex’s tests for cystic fibrosis, please check out these brochures:

CFTR Kits More CFTR Kits

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Selecting the Right Plate Magnet for Luminex Assays

With the introduction of MagPlex® beads, more streamlined protocols can be developed for protein and nucleic acid applications.

With magnetic beads, high throughput experiments being done in 96 well plates or higher formats no longer need to have washing and other buffer exchange steps done by spinning plates or washing beads with filter plates. Such steps increase processing times, prevent developing automated protocols, and contribute to bead loss and higher CVs. By switching MicroPlex® bead assays to MagPlex® beads, protocol times can be shortened, and lower bead loss generates more reliable and reproducible data.

Because a large number of different plate magnet designs are available, selection of the right plate magnet is critical to maximize the advantages of using MagPlex® beads. Four different plate magnets designs include 1) flat plate magnets, 2) bar magnets, 3) post magnets, and 4) Ring magnets (Table 1). Several factors need to be considered to determine which magnet design fits your needs best. One of the first factors to consider is the type of assay it is used for, a protein based assay or nucleic acid assay with PCR steps and/or heated reading.

Many protein-based assays can be done in flat bottom microtiter plates and processed manually with or without plate washers. These types of assays can use flat plate magnets—where the entire bottom of the magnet is magnetized. While this type of magnet may be suitable for low sample number experiments processed manually, higher throughput experiments employing more automated handling may require a shift to bar-, post-, or ring-type magnets—especially when they need to shift away from flat bottom plates and need plates with conical or curved wells. In this case, several other factors similar to those required for nucleic acid assays need to be considered as described below.

Most nucleic acid assays—especially those with PCR steps—can be processed manually or with semi-automated protocols. Due to the sensitivity of the PCR steps, it is crucial to prevent cross contamination between wells on the plate. As a result, whether using a manual processing protocol or automated protocol, disposable tips are required to eliminate any cross contamination between wells on the plates. In addition, the need to run reactions in a thermal cycler or analyze in the Luminex heater block requires the use of PCR plates with conical shaped wells.

During different steps in the protocols and during washing steps, these assay characteristics require the complete removal of buffers from the wells with minimal bead loss. This requires a magnet design that will pull the beads to the sides of the wells so that pipette tips can go all the way to the bottom for complete removal of reaction buffers. For PCR-based nucleic acid assays and high throughput protein assays employing conical well plates, the two following factors must to be considered.

  1. At any step in the protocol when the magnet is needed and the plate fits securely on the magnet, is the reaction volume large enough that the top of the solution is above the top of the magnet? If the top of the solution is below the top of the magnet, beads can be pulled out of the solution, dramatically altering the reliability of the assay (Figure 1).
  2. Is the magnet strong enough to pull the beads out of the way in a short period of time? Reaction solutions can have different viscosities and will require different strength magnets. So the strongest magnet that also meets the needs of requirement 1 above will be the preferred magnet—especially if it can clear the solution of beads within 2 minutes or less.

So whether you are designing a multiplex proteomic assay or nucleic acid assay, keep these guidelines in mind when selecting a plate magnet. If you need further recommendations for the best magnet for your specific Luminex application, contact Luminex technical support or your Field Application Scientist for more information.

Pre-Operative COVID-19 Testing and the Case for Standalone vs. Paneled SARS-CoV-2 Assays

Standalone SARS-CoV-2 tests remain necessary for patient care and safety, while paneled tests support the broader diagnostic space

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Because hospitals and healthcare facilities continue to see patients for regular treatments, procedures, and surgeries, patient care has evolved to accommodate new standards and safety procedures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect both patients and healthcare workers.

One of these safety measures includes pre-operative COVID-19 screening before surgery—a guideline issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) early on in the pandemic. According to the IDSA, testing should be performed within 48–72 hours of the procedure, or as close to day-of as possible.

Also included in their COVID-19 testing guidelines, the IDSA recommends SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing even for asymptomatic individuals who are undergoing major or time-sensitive surgeries, since healthcare providers could use this information to guide PPE requirements. Even in elective surgeries, screening for COVID-19 is still recommended.

Pre-operative COVID-19 screening helps conserve resources

Many leading hospitals in the US have already adopted PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 testing prior to surgery whenever possible. In a publication from last year in NEJM Catalyst, physicians at the Virginia Mason Medical Center in Washington state reported that implementing universal patient screening before all medical procedures not only led to a safer environment for their staff, but also supported the conservation of N95 masks.

“As elective procedural care [resumes], screening for COVID-19 infection prior to all surgical and procedural care seems to be a viable model to provide care in a manner that is safe for both patients and staff,” the authors noted.

Standalone SARS-CoV-2 testing will continue to be crucial moving forward, even after vaccination rates start reducing infections in significant numbers. Because daily case numbers are still very high in many parts of the world, pre-operative COVID-19 screening can continue to help keep healthcare workers safe and can conserve resources.

Outside of the operating room, paneled tests support a more comprehensive approach to diagnosing respiratory illness

For patients with fever, cough, or other respiratory symptoms, diagnostic panels that include the SARS-CoV-2 target in addition to other respiratory pathogens remain important for correctly identifying the causative agent of a patient’s illness—especially since the symptoms of COVID-19 overlap with many of the symptoms of other respiratory illnesses, including influenza. Importantly, patient outcomes can depend on appropriate treatment strategies and in light of possible comorbidities, a definitive diagnosis is all the more important.

Since it appears that we may be dealing with COVID-19 for the foreseeable future, diagnostic tools will also need to evolve to meet the changing needs of the healthcare community and society at large. To support this need, we continue to advance the science behind our COVID-19 assays, providing targeted, paneled, and serology tests for a wide range of SARS-CoV-2 testing and research needs.

For more information about our SARS-CoV-2 offerings, or to learn more about how our COVID-19 solutions can support your lab, please visit our website.

Learn more about our SARS-CoV02 offerings here.

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Will Molecular Diagnostics Work with the New COVID-19 Variants?

In silico analysis demonstrates that Luminex SARS-CoV-2 assays can detect the current circulating variants

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Virus mutations are common and SARS-CoV-2 is no exception. As new variants have begun emerging, the focus around COVID-19 has shifted to these new mutations as scientists work to understand if they will be covered by existing tests and vaccines.

At the moment, four main variants have developed in various populations and are of significant concern to public health experts:

  • B.1.1.7, first identified in the UK
  • B.1.351, first detected in South Africa (also known as S.501Y.V2)
  • P.1, originally found in Brazil
  • L452R, one of five recurring mutations that constitute the B.1.429/CAL.20C variant

The most pressing concern from a diagnostics standpoint is whether current SARS-CoV-2 molecular tests accurately detect these variants, or if these modified viral genomes can evade detection or result in false-negatives.

It’s important to note that molecular tests developed for clinical use—that is, to aid clinicians in determining a patient’s diagnosis and choosing the optimal treatment strategy—don’t typically differentiate between COVID-19 variants when reporting results, and current treatment guidelines for COVID-19 patients do not depend on which variant a patient has. Variant identification is typically performed using non-diagnostic technologies, and is most helpful for epidemiological purposes.

Nonetheless, the concern about the appearance of COVID-19 mutations was one our R&D Team considered during assay development, so we designed the assay probes in our tests to detect highly conserved regions of the viral genome to ensure that new mutations would be unlikely to escape detection.

Additionally, our currently available tests make a positive call based on multiple gene interrogations. Even if one gene mutated enough to avoid being detected, our tests should still report a positive result based on the detection of other included gene targets.

Thorough, accurate diagnostics lead to better patient outcomes

Recently, we compared the SARS-CoV-2-specific oligonucleotide sequences used in our assays to the genetic sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 variants available as of late January. According to in silico analysis, all of our commercially available assays that detect SARS-CoV-2 contain probes that can detect all four variant viruses.

As of February 2021, we have received FDA emergency use authorization for several COVID-19 tests:

For more information about our latest COVID-19 offerings, including CE-IVD tests for use in labs outside of the US, check out our website.

Learn More About Our Latest COVID-19 Offerings.

(EUA) In Vitro Diagnostic Use Under Emergency Use Authorization. This test has not been FDA cleared or approved. This test has been authorized by the FDA under an EUA for use by authorized laboratories.

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How COVID-19 Is Changing Respiratory Testing Algorithms

As healthcare evolves through the pandemic, labs are strategically incorporating SARS-CoV-2 into routine testing

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The COVID-19 pandemic has shaped our lives for more than a year, and one thing is certain: SARS-CoV-2 isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, with concerns over emerging strains and lingering questions about whether vaccinated individuals can still be contagious, accurate diagnostic test results will continue to be essential.

Clinical algorithms used for respiratory tests continue to evolve, especially after accommodating the continuous presence of COVID-19 for more than a year now. Additionally, since many symptoms of COVID-19 overlap with those seen in influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other respiratory illnesses, testing has been one of the most challenging aspects of the pandemic. Influenza in particular shares several symptoms also seen in COVID-19, including fever, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and more—all with varying degrees of severity.

Although there are other important differences between COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, testing is the best way to determine a diagnosis. Since the beginning of the outbreak, lab teams have had a need for reliable respiratory panels that include not only influenza A/B and RSV, but also SARS-CoV-2.

Respiratory panels offer several benefits compared to single-target tests

Beyond diagnostic confirmation, there are benefits to using a test that combines SARS-CoV-2 detection with testing for other respiratory infections. Running a single combination test is more comfortable for the patient since only one sample is needed, and with one streamlined workflow to get results for multiple targets, it ends up being more efficient for the lab as well, saving both time and resources.

Outside of flu season, it will still be important to include SARS-CoV-2 in regular respiratory infection testing. Ideally, the virus would be added to all standard respiratory panels used by clinical labs throughout the year, as well as to small, targeted panels for specific seasons and for vulnerable patient populations.

Of course, standalone testing for SARS-CoV-2 will continue to be important as well—particularly for back-to-work and back-to-school testing, before surgical procedures, and for other routine screening not based on specific respiratory symptoms.

With the ongoing increased need for flexible and comprehensive diagnostic testing tools, we’re working hard to help ensure clinical labs have options for managing SARS-CoV-2 testing in the long term. For targeted SARS-CoV-2 testing, we developed the ® Respiratory Pathogen Panel + SARS-CoV-2″ href=”/nxtag-respiratory-pathogen-panel-sars-cov-2/”>NxTAG® Respiratory Pathogen Panel + SARS-CoV-2 (EUA, CE-IVD) and the ® SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Assay” href=”/xmap-sars-cov-2-antibody-testing/#overview”>xMAP® SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Assay (EUA) enables the identification of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in serum. With additional plans to continue adding the SARS-CoV-2 target to our existing assays, it’s safe to say whatever your testing needs are, we have a solution for you.

For more information about our latest COVID-19 offerings, check out our website.

Learn More About Our Latest COVID-19 Offerings.

(EUA) In Vitro Diagnostic Use Under Emergency Use Authorization. This test has not been FDA cleared or approved. This test has been authorized by the FDA under an EUA for use by authorized laboratories.
(CE-IVD) For In Vitro Diagnostic Use. Products are region specific and may not be approved in some countries/regions.

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Crucial Guidance for Testing and Treating COVID-19 Patients: How the IDSA is Putting Patients and Healthcare Workers First

Frequent updates and detailed recommendations continue to shape the healthcare community’s efforts

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The COVID-19 pandemic spread as quickly as it appeared and continues to overwhelm communities across the globe. Clinicians, scientists, and researchers all over the world have pivoted to tackle the outbreak on multiple fronts: implementing safety and testing protocols to mitigate its spread, investigating the mechanisms of disease induction, and developing vaccines and potential therapeutics. Now, nearly a year after the pandemic was declared, it is still unclear what the full scope of the outbreak’s impact will be.

Throughout this time, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has worked hard to provide guidance for clinicians who are testing and treating patients, and continues to update this guidance as new information emerges. Their advice has been crucial for implementing the most effective treatment strategies, particularly with so many hospitals around the world testing different therapies and reporting their successes and failures.

Evolving treatment guidelines allow clinicians to deliver the best care possible

As the pandemic has progressed, research and medical approaches have rapidly evolved, shifting our understanding of how various therapies work for multiple levels of illness severity. The IDSA’s treatment recommendations are listed in a table that provides specific guidance on various therapies, along with a graded level of certainty for each recommendation based on clinical evidence. While the table itself continues to be updated as new data emerges, the IDSA also provided more general recommendations:

  • Universal access to accurate SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing is critical.
  • Test all symptomatic individuals suspected of having COVID-19.
  • Test asymptomatic individuals with known or suspected exposure to COVID-19.
  • Test asymptomatic individuals when the results affect quarantine or PPE usage decisions, prior to surgery, or when results may affect the success of other therapies.

More specific diagnostic testing recommendations have also been kept up-to-date as the outbreak has evolved. “Molecular diagnostic testing has played a critical role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” IDSA authors state. As of February 2021, their diagnostic testing guidelines list 17 recommendations and an algorithm to help with clinical decision-making. They include both primary and contingency recommendations—the latter of which are used when there is limited availability of key tests, consumables, or PPE.

While we may still be a long way from the end of this outbreak, evidence-backed treatment recommendations give researchers, scientists, and healthcare workers a strong foundation on which we can all build from as we continue to work towards improving the outcomes of people affected by COVID-19.

As a company that has shifted its focus to provide both research and molecular diagnostic tools for those in the lab and on the frontlines fighting the pandemic, the entire Luminex team is grateful for the dedicated researchers who support the IDSA’s commitment to delivering guidance for clinical best practices.

Because we’re committed to supporting our partners, customers, and the patients they serve through this pandemic, we’ve developed a number of COVID-19 testing solutions to help labs obtain reliable, timely, and accurate results. Check out our website for more information.

Learn more about our flexible coronavirus testing solutions here.

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Lessons from the Frontlines: How a Louisville Lab Used the ARIES® System to Respond to the COVID‑19 Pandemic

The sample-to-answer platform delivered timely and accurate test results during a critical time

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As COVID-19 began to spread in early 2020, scientists and medical professionals across the world began quickly responding to community needs, shifting priorities to help understand and address the pandemic. At this year’s Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) annual meeting, we hosted a virtual workshop with one of the scientists working diligently to solve the pandemic puzzle.

Leslie Wolf, PhD, Director of the Infectious Diseases Laboratory (IDL) at the University of Louisville, runs a high-capacity laboratory serving four major health systems in Louisville, Kentucky and southern Indiana. Dr. Wolf and her team knew they needed a reliable testing solution for their community, so they developed an assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 using the ® Laboratory Developed Test for SARS-CoV-2 to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic” href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51ZDa9X1OXY&feature=youtu.be”>here.

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For more information about our COVID-19 testing and research solutions, check out our website.
Watch the IDL ARIES System Workshop here.

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