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Decision analysis: point-of-care Chlamydia testing vs. laboratory-based methods.

Geoffrey R Swain·Roberta A McDonald·John R Pfister·M Stephen Gradus·Gerald V Sedmak·Ajaib Singh
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the performance of several different methods available for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection, and to explore possible testing and treatment strategies incorporating point-of-care testing versus laboratory-based tests. DESIGN: Prospective trial and decision analysis. SETTING: Large, urban, publicly funded sexually transmitted disease clinic. PARTICIPANTS: 1,384 female patients. METHODS: Each subject was tested for Ct infection by direct fluorescent antibody (DFA, Sanofi/Kallestad, Chaska, MN), optical immunoassay (OIA, Thermo Electron, Point of Care and Rapid Diagnostics, Louisville CO), McCoy cell culture (in-house method), and polymerase chain reaction (microwell PCR, microwell assay, Roche, Branchburg NJ). RESULTS: Performing a rapid in-clinic test on women who did not meet empiric treatment criteria would have increased the overall proportion of infected persons receiving same-day treatment from 48.6% to 79.1% using DFA or 78.4% using OIA. CONCLUSIONS: Use of empiric treatment criteria and same-day point-of-care testing for patients not meeting the empiric treatment threshold appears to be an appropriate, useful, and cost-effective strategy for increasing same-day treatment of Ct infections in this population.

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AdolescentAdultChlamydia InfectionsChlamydia trachomatisDecision MakingFemaleFluorescent Antibody Technique, DirectGonorrheaHumansImmunoassayMicrobiological TechniquesNeisseria gonorrhoeaePoint-of-Care SystemsPolymerase Chain ReactionPredictive Value of TestsProspective StudiesRisk FactorsSensitivity and SpecificityClinical TrialComparative StudyJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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Geoffrey R Swain, Roberta A McDonald, John R Pfister, M Stephen Gradus, Gerald V Sedmak, Ajaib Singh. 2004. Decision analysis: point-of-care Chlamydia testing vs. laboratory-based methods.. https://doi.org/10.3121/cmr.2.1.29

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