The clinical performance of Aspergillus PCR when testing serum and plasma- a study by the European Aspergillus PCR Initiative

Aspergillus PCR testing of serum provides technical simplicity, but with potentially reduced sensitivity compared to whole blood testing. For a disease where screening to exclude disease provides an optimal strategy sensitivity is paramount. The associated analytical study confirmed that DNA concentrations were greater in plasma compared to serum. The aim of this current investigation was to confirm the analytical findings by comparing the performance of Aspergillus PCR testing of plasma and serum in the clinical setting.Standardised Aspergillus PCR was performed on plasma and serum samples concurrently obtained from haematology patients, as a multi-centre retrospective anonymous case-control study with cases diagnosed according to EORTC/MSG consensus definitions (19 proven/probable cases and 42 controls). Clinical performance and clinical utility (time to positivity) were calculated for both samples.The sensitivity and specificity for Aspergillus PCR when testing serum were 68.4% and 76.2%, and plasma were 94.7% and 83.3%, respectively. Eighty-five percent of serum and plasma PCR results were concordant. On average plasma PCR was positive 16.8 days before diagnosis and was the earliest indicator of infection in 13 cases, combined with other biomarkers in five cases. On average serum PCR was positive 10.8 days before diagnosis and was the earliest indicator of infection in six cases, combined with other biomarkers in three cases.

Jaar van publicatie:2015

BOF-keylabel:ja

IOF-keylabel:ja

BOF-publication weight:2

CSS-citation score:3

Auteurs:International

Authors from:Higher Education