There are >500,000 bloodstream infections (BSIs) resulting in >90,000 deaths per year in North America. Every hour that elapses between the onset of BSI symptoms and the administration of appropriate antibiotics increases the risk of dying by 7%. Current diagnostic tools take 24–48+ hours to identify which antibiotics will be effective. During this time, clinicians make life-altering prescribing decisions with minimal lab data. Rapid diagnostic tools for these infections would minimize errors in prescribing decisions and save lives. To address this, UCalgary scientists and Alberta Precision Laboratories clinicians developed the BSIDx, a metabolomics-based solution that completes lab testing for BSIs in 5 hours.

Project goal: Assess BSIDx performance in provincial labs and collect the data needed to facilitate its adoption in Alberta and British Columbia.

Objectives: 1) Refine the BSIDx design to align with provincial needs; 2) conduct head-to-head trials of the BSIDx versus established testing methods to assess the BSIDx performance in clinical lab settings, and 3) conduct economic and health impact analyses to assess the real-world impact of the BSIDx.

Anticipated outcomes and deliverables. The primary outcomes of this study will be establishing the performance characteristics of the BSIDx (sensitivity, specificity, and turn-around time) when operated in provincial laboratories and the health/economic benefits that would be possible through its adoption. Our primary deliverable will be an evidence packages that is ready for submission to the provincial diagnostic test review committees in Alberta and British Columbia, the governing bodies that oversee the adoption of new diagnostic tests in the two provinces.

Significance of research and patient impact: The BSIDx provides diagnostic information >30 hours faster, which informs clinical decisions on the treatment of life-threatening BSI cases. If adopted nationally, this technology may save >2,250 lives per year.