A new rapid test identifies severe COVID-19 patients more accurately than existing tests, researchers said Sept. 29 at the 2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo in Atlanta. The 15-minute test measures blood levels of C-reactive protein, a general marker of infection severity, and two other proteins that the immune system produces in response to viral infections.
The test beats accuracy rates of other COVID-19 severity tests, including the commonly used biomarker IL-6.
The research team developed the test via a data analysis from a group of 518 COVID-19 patients, 113 of whom had a severe outcome.