Clinical impact of molecular point-of-care testing for suspected COVID-19 in hospital (COV-19POC): a prospective, interventional, non-randomised, controlled study
This UK study of point-of-care testing (QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel) found time to results was shorter when compared to testing by laboratory PCR (median 1.7 h [IQR 1.6–1.9] versus 21.3 h [16.0–27.9], respectively; difference 19.6 h [19.0–20.3], p<0.0001).
Source:
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
SPS commentary:
A related comment notes that the QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel also had high accuracy, with sensitivity of 99.4% (95% CI 96.9–100) and specificity of 98.6% (96.5–99.6), which is attractive in the context of a recently published Cochrane review of early-to-market, rapid, point-of-care molecular tests for SARS-CoV-2. There have since been further additions, which broaden the number of available platforms further. The authors caution that widespread deployment of point-of-care testing might be compromised unless the appropriate infrastructure is developed to underpin the platforms, including sample adequacy controls, robust internal and external quality assurance, information technology connectivity, training, and use governance.