Mayo Clinic Study Finds BioFire Blood Stream Infection Test Has Little Effect on Clinician Prescribing Behavior

By Kelley Luedke • January 4, 2019

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Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix have found that knowing the test results from BioFire's rapid multiplex diagnostic panel for detecting blood stream infections does not actually alter certain aspects of clinician prescribing behavior, contradicting previous published reports.

According to an article in 360Dx, authors of the new research suggested that even with standard stewardship interventions, multiplex molecular panel testing did not affect antimicrobial prescribing, although results of other kinds of testing—namely, gram staining and antimicrobial susceptibility testing—were able to induce physicians to alter course appropriately.

The study separated the results of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Consistent with other research, the blood culture identification (BCID) panel reduced the time to identify specific infectious organisms compared to standard techniques, like culture.

According to Thomas Grys, Ph.D., Consultant in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, "Although the study found trends toward improved prescribing, given BCID results for gram-positive organisms, overall there were no statistically significant changes in time to escalation or de-escalation of antimicrobials due to the use of the BCID test."

In the current study, Dr. Grys said the group discovered that gram stains helped escalate therapy appropriately, and also, for gram-negatives, it wasn't until physicians were provided with susceptibility data that they made decisions to de-escalate therapy.

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Kelley Luedke

Kelley Luedke is a Marketing Channel Manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. She is the principle editor and writer of Insights and leads social media and direct marketing strategy. Kelley has worked at Mayo Clinic since 2013. Outside of work, you can find Kelley running, traveling, playing with her kitty, and exploring new foods.