ObjectivesTo investigate the potential impact of the syndromic multiplex FilmArray® Pneumonia plus Panel (FAPP) on the antimicrobial treatment guidance of patients with ventilated hospital-acquired pneumonia (VHAP).MethodsRespiratory fluids from 100 adult patients with VHAP, receiving invasive mechanical ventilation in three intensive care units from one French university hospital, were tested prospectively using FAPP. Conventional cultures were performed in parallel as routine practice. Clinicians were left blinded to the FAPP results. Antimicrobial therapies based on FAPP results were simulated by independent blinded experts according to a predefined algorithm and compared to 1) those prescribed in practice according to local guidelines (real-life), and 2) those that complied with the international ERS/ESICM/ESCMID/ALAT recommendations. The primary endpoint was the number of days of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy. Secondary endpoints were the rates of microbiological treatment failure and cost-effectiveness ratio.ResultsThe predicted median duration of broad-spectrum antibiotics was 0 [0-1.25] day in the FAPP-based simulation, versus 2 [0-6] days in real-life (p<0.0001) and 2 [2-3.25] days in the recommendations-based simulation (p<0.0001). Treatment failure was predicted in 3% of cases with FAPP results versus observed in 11% in real-life (p=0.08) and 6% with recommendations-based simulation (p=0.37). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 1 121 € [-7021; 6794] to avoid one day of non-optimized antimicrobial therapy.ConclusionsOur results suggest that using FAPP in patients with VHAP has the potential to reduce the use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy without increasing the risk of microbial treatment failure.

Background: Automated molecular panels are attractive tools for improving early meningitis diagnosis. This study assessed the Eazyplex® CSF direct M panel (EP), a multiplex real-time Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification assay. Methods: From December 2016 to December 2019, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were routinely tested with the EP V1.0. CSF parameters and microbiological and clinical data were retrospectively collected. Results: Out of 230 CSF samples, the EP yielded positive, negative, and invalid results for 32 (13.9%) (16 N. meningitidis, nine S. pneumoniae, two S. agalactiae, two E. coli, two H. influenzae, one L. monocytogenes), 182 (79.1%), and 16 (7%) samples, respectively. Among the positive samples, 14 (44%) remained negative in culture (antibiotic therapy before lumbar puncture (n = 11), meningococcal meningitis (n = 3)). High CSF protein concentrations and cellularity were associated with LAMP inhibition, counteracted by centrifugation. The automated software yielded 13 false positive and five false negative results. Amplification curve analysis was necessary and enabled the attainment of positive (PPA) and negative percentage agreement and positive and negative predictive values of 91.4%, 100%, 100%, and 98.3%. Three false negative results remained (two E. coli and one N. meningitidis). E. coli presented the poorest PPA (50%). Conclusion: This work confirms the strong performance of the EP, of particular interest in cases of antibiotic therapy before lumbar puncture.