Scrutinizing Respiratory Virus Testing

Investigators from multiple institutions conducted a meta-analysis to assess the effect of respiratory virus (RV) testing on several outcomes in children hospitalized with acute respiratory illness (ARI). Investigators searched 7 medical literature databases for studies that (a) were published between 1985 and 2018; (b) evaluated the effect of RV testing on antibiotic use, ancillary diagnostic tests, hospital length of stay, or use of antiviral agents; and (c) included children <18 years old hospitalized with ARI, defined as an illness of <7 days’ duration with respiratory symptoms suggestive of infection. Two reviewers independently reviewed extracted studies to ensure they met these criteria; discrepancies were resolved by consensus or an arbitrator. When ≥3 studies were available, investigators attempted …