Table 2

Delay between ICU admission and notification of test results: standard culture versus qMRSA


Standard culture (phase I)
Rapid qMRSA test (phase II)
P

n
322
510
-
Time from admission to screening (hours)
13.4 (4.8–21.6)
6.3 (0.6–10.3)
<0.001
Time from screening to arrival in the lab (hours)
3.2 (1.3–12.1)
3.6 (1.1–10.9)
0.82
Time from receipt in the lab to result notification (hours)
71.8 (47.9–94.6)
7.2 (6.3–22.2)
<0.001
Total time (hours)
93.1 (73.2–118.9)
22.2 (16.7–27.6)
<0.001

Note that weekends and public holidays were not included. Values are expressed as median (interquartile range). ICU, intensive care unit; qMRSA, quick methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus screening.

Harbarth et al. Critical Care 2006 10:R25   doi:10.1186/cc3982