Clinical efficacy of respiratory virus detection by using the FilmArray method in children admitted with respiratory infection

Purpose: Respiratory virus infection is a common cause of hospitalization in children. Rapid testing for respiratory viruses, such as the FilmArray method, can be clinically useful. However, insufficient evidence exists to support its use in standard clinical care. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from children under 18 years old who received the multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction array (multiplex RT-PCR) method in 2017 and by FilmArray respiratory panel (FilmArray RP) in 2018. Results: Between January, 2017 and December, 2018, we reviewed data from 1,480 hospitalized children. The number of children with virus detection in respiratory viral PCR was 523 in the multiplex RT-PCR method and 419 in the FilmArray method. Seasonal virus outbreak patterns were similar to those of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in both groups. There was no differ-ence between the 2 groups in the mean length of hospital stay. The time from admission to isolation by influenza infection was sig-nificantly shorter in the FilmArray group than in the multiplex RT-PCR group among patients who were not diagnosed with influenza infection by rapid antigen test at the time of admission. Conclusion: The use of FilmArray method for respiratory viruses did not diminish length of hospital stay. However, the FilmArray method may quickly detect the prevalence of respiratory infection and aid in clinical treatment. In addition, it was related with a re-duced time from admission to isolation by influenza infection in hospitalized children who were not identified with influenza infection by rapid antigen test at the time of admission. ( Allergy Asthma Respir Dis 2021;9:12-20 )