PCOT for Outpatients With Acute Respiratory Tract Infection at Risk of Severe Disease in Primary Healthcare

Advanced age, comorbidities, and immunosuppression are high-risk factors of severe disease in acute respiratory infections. In China, the exacerbation of population aging and increasing number of individuals with chronic comorbidities have aggravated the severity of the issue and posed a serious challenge to public health. However, insufficient pathogen diagnostic capabilities in primary healthcare prevents patients at high risk of severe disease from receiving timely and targeted treatments, potentially leading to delays in clinical management, adverse prognoses and increased economic burdens. This study aims to evaluate the clinical value of point-of-care multiplex PCR testing (POCT) in guiding early diagnosis and target treatment for acute respiratory infections in primary healthcare settings.