T2 Biosystems, Lexington, Mass., a leader in the rapid detection of sepsis-causing pathogens, announced that Expert Review of Medical Devices, a peer-reviewed medical journal, published meta-analysis findings confirming that utilization of T2 Biosystems’ Magnetic Resonance (T2MR) technology for identification of bloodstream infections (BSIs) provides faster time to detection, faster transition to targeted microbial therapy, faster de-escalation of empirical therapy, and shorter intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, and with comparable mortality rate versus the current blood culture standard.

Study authors of the meta-analysis, “Antimicrobial and Resource Utilization with T2 Magnetic Resonance for Rapid Diagnosis of Bloodstream Infections: Systematic Review with Meta-analysis of Controlled Studies,” systematically searched Medline, Embase, and Central for randomized trials or observational controlled studies of patients with suspected BSIs receiving a diagnosis with T2MR or blood culture, ultimately including 14 studies. Key meta-analysis results include:

  • Significant reduction in the time to detection (MD=-81 hours) and time to species identification (MD=-77 hours) with T2MR vs. blood culture
  • Patients testing positive on T2MR received targeted antimicrobial therapy faster (MD=-42 hours); and patients testing negative on T2MR were de-escalated from empirical therapy faster (MD=-7 hours) vs. blood culture.
  • Length of ICU stay (MD=-5.0 days) and hospital stay (MD=-4.8 days) were shorter with T2MR vs. blood culture

“This analysis reinforces the clinical benefits of our technology compared to blood culture for BSI diagnosis and management,” says Aparna Ahuja, MD, chief medical officer at T2 Biosystems. “This provides compelling evidence that T2MR technology enables faster targeted treatment which can have a significant positive impact on patient care, antimicrobial stewardship and cost management for hospitals that adopt it as part of their sepsis protocols.” 

Current standard of care for patients suspected of BSIs or sepsis requires 1-7 days to provide species ID and susceptibility results. This information is used by clinicians to target therapy and optimize treatment of the identified infectious pathogen. T2 Biosystems’ T2Bacteria and T2Candida panels are the first and only FDA-cleared products able to provide results directly from whole blood in three to five hours, often before the second dose of empiric antibiotic therapy is administered, without the need to wait days for a positive blood culture.

The time-savings associated with T2MR technology provide meaningful clinical and economic value for patients and hospitals. As identified by the meta-analysis, ICU stay and hospital stay were, on average, five days shorter in patients receiving a diagnosis with the T2MR panels as compared to blood cultures. The authors conclude that in addition to significant clinical improvements and efficiencies, this could theoretically reduce hospital costs by up to $25,000 per patient tested.

For more information, visit T2 Biosystems.

Featured image: T2 Biosystems’ T2Bacteria panel