From the Guidelines
Repeat testing for a respiratory panel should generally occur 24–48 hours after initial testing and once the initial NAAT result has returned as negative, as recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines 1. When considering repeating a respiratory panel, several factors come into play, including the development of new or worsening symptoms, the timing of symptom onset, and the possibility of a poorly collected specimen yielding a falsely negative result.
- The yield of repeat testing is low and therefore repeat testing is not suggested routinely, unless there are situations where repeat testing might be considered, such as the development of new or worsening symptoms in the absence of alternative explanations 1.
- The timing of symptom onset might drive a need for repeat testing, and a poorly collected specimen could yield a falsely negative result and might be another reason supporting repeat testing 1.
- Clinical judgment should guide the decision to repeat testing, taking into account factors such as symptom progression, treatment response, and the patient's immune status.
- Unnecessary repeat testing should be avoided as it increases healthcare costs and may not change clinical management, and respiratory panels detect genetic material from pathogens, which can persist after the infection is no longer active, so clinical correlation with test results is essential for proper interpretation and patient management. The most recent guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America, published in December 2023, provide the framework for making decisions about repeat testing 1.
From the Research
Repeating Respiratory Panel
There are no specific studies provided that directly address the question of how long to wait when repeating a respiratory panel.
- The studies provided focus on the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating lower respiratory tract infections 2, 3 and the importance of clinical reasoning in evidence-based medicine 4, 5.
- One study discusses the concept of conclusive evidence in systematic reviews, but does not provide guidance on repeating respiratory panels 6.
- Therefore, there is no clear answer to the question based on the provided evidence.