# A Retrospective Single-Center Analysis from Southern Italy on the Use of T2 Magnetic Resonance Assays as a Point-of-Care Method for Patients with Sepsis

## TL;DR

This study evaluates the effectiveness of T2 Magnetic Resonance assays in diagnosing sepsis, showing faster results and improved diagnosis when used alongside traditional blood cultures.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the clinical utility of T2MR as a point-of-care method for sepsis diagnosis in a real-world setting.

## Key findings

- T2MR provided faster positive results (median 5.2 hours) compared to blood cultures (122 hours).
- Concordant results were observed in 85.2% of patients, with 71.6% being concordant-negative and 13.6% concordant-positive.
- T2MR combined with blood cultures improved the etiological diagnosis of sepsis in the study population.

## Abstract

Background: The rapid and accurate identification of the pathogens responsible for sepsis is essential for prompt and effective antimicrobial therapy. The T2Bacteria® Panel (T2B) and T2Candida® Panel (T2C) are rapid molecular tests performed on whole blood that exploit T2 Magnetic Resonance (T2MRsup®) technology. Objectives: This study evaluates the impact of the T2MR system as a point-of-care device for managing sepsis and septic shock patients. Methods: This single-center retrospective study was conducted at the Sant’ Elia Hospital of Caltanissetta from 1 January 2023 to 31 July 2023. The study population was composed of patients with suspected sepsis and septic shock according to the Sepsis-3 criteria and for whom concurrent T2MR and BC samples were requested for diagnosis. Results: A total of 81 consecutive patients were enrolled in this study. Concordant T2/BC results were obtained in 69/81 (85.2%) patients; 58/81 (71.6%) were concordant-negative and 11/81 (13.6%) were concordant-positive. Discordant T2MR+/BC− results were observed in 9/81 patients (11.1%), while T2MR−/BC+ results were detected in 3/81 patients (3.7%). Furthermore, the median time for reporting positive T2MR test results (5.2 h) was significantly shorter than that for BC (122 h). Conclusions: Due to its high reliability, faster detection time, and simple workflow, T2MR in combination with BC improved the etiological diagnosis of sepsis in the enrolled patients.