Procalcitonin assays results did not help emergency department and hospital-based clinicians prescribe fewer antibiotics for patients presenting with suspected lower respiratory tract infection, … [Read more...]
GUIDELINES AT A GLANCE
FDA Recommends Pooled of Blood Testing for Zika Virus
August 1, 2018
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised recommendations for testing donated blood for Zika virus. The agency will now allow pooled testing of blood donations, rather than universal nucleic … [Read more...]
TESTING TRENDS
Early Lactate Tests Impactful, But Often Not Performed With Sepsis
July 16, 2018
Early lactate measurements appear to improve results for patients with sepsis, but initial and repeat serum lactate levels are frequently not drawn in the recommended six-hour window, according to a … [Read more...]
TESTING STRATEGY
Single-Sample Confirmatory Test Ok for Diabetes Diagnosis
June 28, 2018
A single blood sample can be used to test for both fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in order to identify undiagnosed diabetes in the population, according to a study published in the … [Read more...]
UTILIZATION MANAGEMENT
Blood Cultures for Cellulitis Often Needlessly Ordered
June 18, 2018
Despite existing recommendations, blood culture is overused in patients with suspected, uncomplicated cellulitis, according to a research letter published April 2 in JAMA Internal … [Read more...]
PUBLIC HEALTH
HCV Screening Rates Very Low Among Exposed Infants
May 29, 2018
The number of pregnant women infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is growing rapidly due to the opioid epidemic, yet most prenatally infected children are not being screened, despite the risk that … [Read more...]
INDUSTRY TRENDS
Home-Based Hospital Care Model Cuts Lab Utilization
May 29, 2018
Hospital care is notoriously expensive and potentially risky for older adults. There is interest in the home-hospital concept where acute services are provided in a patient's home, with the hope of … [Read more...]
TESTING TRENDS
Men Undergo Hereditary Cancer Testing Less Frequently Than Women
May 29, 2018
Unaffected men undergo genetic cancer testing at half the rate of unaffected women, according to a research letter published April 26 in JAMA Oncology. This disparity in testing is attributable to a … [Read more...]
EMERGING TESTS
Current Testing Criteria Miss Breast Cancer Mutations
May 28, 2018
Women who do not meet breast cancer genetic testing criteria have a similar number of cancer-associated mutations as women who do meet the criteria, according to two separate studies presented at the … [Read more...]
EMERGING TESTS
Genetic Risk Score Could Improve Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation
May 14, 2018
A genetic risk score (GRS) may identify patients at highest risk for developing atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published March 13 in PLOS Medicine. The authors say that patients with a … [Read more...]
