title: Rapid enterovirus molecular testing in cerebrospinal fluid reduces length of hospitalization and duration of antibiotic therapy in children with aseptic meningitis.
abstract: We studied the potential benefits of introducing a rapid enterovirus molecular test in children with enterovirus meningitis. The 2 groups of pediatric patients were comparable with respect to clinical and laboratory data, but differed in availability of enterovirus test results. In the control group, the results were available within 3 to 7 days, whereas in the study group, rapid enterovirus molecular test results were available within 3 to 24 hours. The median duration of hospitalization and the duration of antibiotics were significantly reduced to, respectively, 2 days and 1 day in the study group when compared with the control group (P < 0.001). Mean costs per patient calculation showed an average reduction of more than US $1450 (P < 0.001).
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Rijnstate Hospital Arnhem, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kirsten M N
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Huizing
authors.forename: Caroline M A
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Swanink
authors.forename: Anneke M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Landstra
authors.forename: Anton A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: van Zwet
authors.forename: Petra A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van Setten
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014773:Virology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents