Home-based flu tests as accurate as rapid diagnostic testing in clinical settings
Study findings underscore imperative of expanding test access and
lowering costs

Date:
March 10, 2022
Source:
University of Washington School of Medicine/UW Medicine
Summary:
Home-based, self-administered tests for influenza are comparable
in accuracy to rapid diagnostic tests in clinical settings,
according to a peer-reviewed study. The researchers determined that
sensitivity and specificity of the home test and clinical test were
similar. False- negative results were more common when the self-test
was administered after 72 hours of the onset of symptoms, but were
not related to inadequate swab collection or severity of illness.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Home-based, self-administered tests for influenza are comparable in
accuracy to rapid diagnostic tests in clinical settings, according to
a recently published, peer-reviewed study.


========================================================================== "Home tests are a valuable tool to support the management of influenza
and other respiratory infections," said Matthew J. Thompson, professor
of global health and family medicine at the University of Washington
School of Medicine in Seattle. Thompson is the senior author on the
study and a primary-care physician at UW Medicine.

"The tests facilitate earlier diagnoses and reduce the time from the
onset of symptoms to patients seeking appropriate care," he said.

More than 600 Seattle-area residents participated in the 2020 study
between February and the end of May. Participants were mailed influenza
testing kits.

After swabbing their noses, they either recorded the results through
an app, or returned the kits to the lab of Lea Starita in the Brotman
Baty Institute of Precision Medicine. Starita is an assistant professor
of genome sciences at the UW School of Medicine, and one of the study co-authors.

The researchers determined that sensitivity and specificity of the
self-test were comparable with those of influenza rapid diagnostic
tests used in clinical settings. False-negative results were more common
when the self-test was administered after 72 hours of the appearance of symptoms, but were not related to inadequate swab collection or severity
of illness.

"This study underscores the imperative of expanding access to testing
and lowering the costs,"

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Washington_School_of_Medicine/UW_Medicine.

Original written by Dean Owen. Note: Content may be edited for style
and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Rachel E Geyer, Jack Henry Kotnik, Victoria Lyon, Elisabeth
Brandstetter,
Monica Zigman Suchsland, Peter D Han, Chelsey Graham, Misja
Ilcisin, Ashley E Kim, Helen Y Chu, Deborah A Nickerson, Lea M
Starita, Trevor Bedford, Barry Lutz, Matthew J Thompson. Diagnostic
Accuracy of an At- Home, Rapid Self-test for Influenza: Prospective
Comparative Accuracy Study. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance,
2022; 8 (2): e28268 DOI: 10.2196/28268 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220310170843.htm

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