Contribution of the BioFire® FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel:

. Traditional evaluation of meningitis includes cerebrospinalfluid (CSF) culture and gram stain to pinpoint specific causalorganisms. The BioFire® FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis (ME)Panel has been implemented as a more timely evaluation method.This study sought to assess if the BioFire® ME Panel was associatedwith a decreased length of stay or decreased antimicrobial durationwhen used in the diagnosis of meningitis or encephalitis.Methods.xA case, historical-control, chart review was performed onpatients admitted to a regional medical center with CSF pleocytosisduring Cohort 1 (the year prior to BioFire® ME Panel implementation)and Cohort 2 (the year after BioFire® ME Panel implementation).Length of hospital stay, duration of antimicrobials, and BioFire® MEPanel result were gathered and analyzed.Results. Average length of stay for both cohorts was about fourhospital days. Approximately three-fourths of all patients receivedantibiotic/antiviral treatment with an average of three days duration.No significant differences were observed between groups. The mean(median) duration of antimicrobials in the year prior to and afterthe BioFire® ME Panel implementation was 3.6 (3) and 3.1 (2) days,respectively (p = 0.835). The mean (median) length of stay in the yearprior to and after the BioFire® ME Panel implementation was 5.8 (4)and 5.4 (4) days, respectively (p = 0.941). Among the patients admittedafter the implementation of the BioFire® ME Panel, 4.3 % (n =2) had a positive bacterial result, 38.3% (n = 18) had a positive viralresult, and 57.4% (n = 27) had a negative result. Of the 27 negativeresults, 77.8% (n = 21) were treated with antimicrobial medication.Conclusions. This study suggested there is no difference betweenlength of stay or antimicrobial duration in presumed meningitis casesassessed with traditional methods as compared to the BioFire® MEPanel. Kans J Med 2019;12(1):1-3.