Cand.Med, PhD-student
Sara Nørgaard Søgaard
Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, 6200 Aabenraa, Denmark; Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark.
| Projekt styring | ||
| Projekt status | Open | |
| Data indsamlingsdatoer | ||
| Start | 03.11.2024 | |
| Slut | 30.11.2025 | |
Diagnostic value of oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swabs compared to tracheal suction in suspected community-acquired pneumonia
Short summary
Effective antibiotic treatment is essential to combat antibiotic resistance, particularly in acute infections such as pneumonia, a leading cause of mortality. Accurate and timely diagnosis relies on pathogen identification, traditionally achieved through tracheal suction. However, due to its invasive nature, alternative sampling methods, such as nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs, are increasingly explored. While these methods show potential for pathogen detection, their diagnostic accuracy.
Rationale
Targeted antibiotic treatment is crucial in preventing the development of antibiotic resistance. Pneumonia is a leading cause of death in acute infections, and rapid and precise diagnosis requires the identification of pathogens, often achieved through tracheal suction. However, tracheal suction is infrequently used, prompting the search for less invasive alternatives like nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs. While research indicates that nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs can detect pathogens, their diagnostic accuracy compared to tracheal aspirate in acute settings remains unclear. The aim of the study is to determine the diagnostic value of nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs compared to tracheal suction, analyzed by Polymerase Chain Reaction, in acutely hospitalized patients with suspected pneumonia.
Description of the cohort
The study includes adult (≥18 years) patients who are admitted to an ED where the attending physician suspects lower respiratory tract infection, supported by, for example, the following symptoms: dyspnoea, cough, expectoration, chest pain, fever, or confirmatory imaging.
Data and biological material
There will be collect 3 samples from each patient - Oropharyngeal swab, Nasopharyngeal swab and tracheal suction. Further data will be collected: Name, age, gender, department, admission and discharge date, date of death if applicable. Temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, GCS score, SAT, Haematology, biochemistry, blood gases, PCR, microscopy, culture results, resistance testing results, The generic drug name, dose, start and end date, antibiotic treatment prior to hospitalisation. Hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, asthma, COPD, cancer, allergy, ischaemic heart disease, rheumatological disease and Information from the clinical examination, e.g. cough, pain, stethoscopy findings, visual inspection findings,