Clinical accuracy of rapid antigen tests for COVID-19
WorkSafeBC Evidence-Based Practice Group, Martin CW
Record ID 32018004216
English
Authors' objectives:
To determine the clinical accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) of the rapid antigen tests that are available and endorsed by the British Columbia (BC) provincial government.
Authors' results and conclusions:
Of the four Ag-RDTs approved for use in BC, to date, there is only minimal clinical accuracy data available for both the Artron and BTNX rapid test systems. While there is a relatively large amount of clinical accuracy data available for the Abbot Panbio and BD Veritor systems, there is much heterogeneity in the observed accuracy reported. Many factors, including sample size, infective time frame (infection trajectory), viral load (Ct values), sample type including nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, mid-turbinate, anterior nasal or saliva, sample condition (fresh vs. banked) as well as whether the tests were done in accordance with the test manufacturer?s recommendation, may affect the observed accuracy data. It should also be noted that the timeframe of the infection trajectory, i.e., the point at which the test is administered during the patient?s infectious period, is important, as it affects the test results.
Authors' methods:
To begin, the rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 that are available and employed in BC were identified, as indicated on the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) website. There are four rapid antigen (Ag) test products listed on the BCCDC website, including: Abbott Panbio, Artron COVID-19 Antigen Test, BD Veritor and BTNX Rapid Response COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Tests. A living systematic review and meta-analysis reporting on the clinical accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) of commercially available SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) was published by Brummer et al in August, 2021. This high quality (clear objective, with clear and detailed methodology including critical appraisal on the included primary studies with up-to-date literature search) systematic review and meta-analysis identified and reported primary studies on the clinical accuracy of two (out of four) Ag-RDTs used in BC, c.q. Abbott Panbio and BD Veritor. In order to investigate the clinical accuracy of the Artron COVID-19 Antigen Test (Artron) and BTNX Rapid Response COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Tests (BTNX) Ag-RDTs, we conducted a comprehensive and systematic literature review of commercial as well as free medical literature databases on January 27, 2022. Full search strategies and data summaries for Artron and BTNX can be found in the methods and results sections of our paper.
Details
Project Status:
Completed
URL for project:
https://www.worksafebc.com/en/about-us/research-services/evidence-based-medicine-and-systematic-reviews
Year Published:
2022
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Mini HTA
Country:
Canada
MeSH Terms
- Antigens, Viral
- COVID-19
- COVID-19 Testing
- Rapid Diagnostic Tests
- SARS-CoV-2
- Coronavirus Infections
Keywords
- COVID
- COVID-19
- antigen rapid test
- antigen test kit
- Abbott Panbio
- Artron
- BD Veritor
- BTNX
- Ag-RDT
Contact
Organisation Name:
WorkSafeBC
Contact Address:
6591 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC, V7C 1C6 Canada. Tel: 604-231-8417; Fax: 604-279-7698
Contact Name:
ebpg@worksafebc.com
Contact Email:
ebpg@worksafebc.com
Copyright:
WorkSafe BC
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.