Laboratory Testing Resources for Clinicians Battling COVID-19Learn how providers across the nation are leveraging in vitro diagnostics during the pandemic.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lab remains a crucial component for assessing and monitoring patient health, even beyond screening for SARS-CoV-2. A wide variety of comorbidities and metabolic abnormalities have the potential to cause severe complications in COVID-19 patients. Understanding these health risks and proper testing protocols can help you provide key information for advancing therapy outcomes.
Healthcare institutions are managing population health by establishing unique care workups that incorporate a variety of in vitro laboratory tests for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients. Here you can find a collection of resources to learn more about testing COVID-19 patients for relevant comorbidities, and specific recommendations and commonly used care protocols from leading professional organizations and healthcare providers.
The Role of Laboratory Testing in the COVID-19 Care Pathway
Siemen Healthineers COVID-19 Laboratory Testing Guide
Clinical symptoms alone may be insufficient in the assessment of COVID-19 patients. How can you better triage and monitor these patients?
Our Laboratory Testing Guide provides essential information for clinicians to help manage each stage of COVID-19 patient care: diagnosis, prognosis, therapy and follow-up.
The Impact of Cytokine Storm Reactions in COVID-19 Cases
In some cases of COVID-19 infections, a patient’s own immune system can present additional risks to health. A potentially fatal reaction called a cytokine storm can occur, in which the immune system begins to attack the body’s cells and tissues. The hyperinflammation resulting from this extreme reaction can rapidly deteriorate a patient’s condition, therefore detection is key to managing treatment. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a protein that helps to regulate immune responses. It is part of the “inflammatory cascade” that involves coordinated, sequential activation thus allowing it to be used as a marker of immune response activation. Testing for IL-6 can provide critical information that can be used by physicians to monitor, assess, and prognose SAR-COV-2 patients experiencing cytokine storm reactions.
Siemens Healthineers Assay Menu for Suspected and Confirmed COVID-19 Patients
Based on the guidelines and care protocols that are being adopted by professional organizations and leading healthcare institutions, Siemens Healthineers has published an assay menu to serve as an informational resource for our customers to understand what recommended or commonly used laboratory tests associated with COVID-19 cases are available on our analyzer platforms.
Clinical Guidelines and Resources
IFCC Information Guide on COVID-19
The IFCC has published a guide on COVID-19 specifically for laboratory professionals. Drawing from a variety of academic and government sources, these guidelines cover a variety of topics including patient screening methods, biosafety best practices, and a recommended list of additional in vitro tests associated with COVID-19 disease progression.
Read the full IFCC Guidelines
Massachusetts General Hospital COVID-19 Treatment Guidance
Massachusetts General Hospital has released an overview of the care workup their facility is using to address the COVID-19 pandemic. This document includes laboratory testing panels, therapeutic methods, risk stratification data, and information on special patient populations.
Read the full MGH Guidance
Brigham and Women’s Hospital COVID-19 Protocols
Brigham and Women’s Hospital has developed a full online resource for healthcare providers with chapters focusing on the clinical implications of COVID-19 and relevant procedures for a wide variety of clinical disciplines, including relevant laboratory tests for assessing health in COVID-19 patients. This site is updated regularly to provide current information.
Brigham and Women's Hospital COVID-10 Protocols
King’s College Hospital Evidence Summary – Clinical Management of COVID-19
King’s College Hospital has released a summary of evidence relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. This document draws from studies to identify laboratory tests that could be useful in monitoring patient health, in addition to evaluations of potential treatment methods.
View the King's College Hospital Evidence Summary
HealthPoint – “So You Have a COVID-19 Patient; How Do You Treat Them?”
The HealthPoint network of health centers has published an article that features the advice and opinions of healthcare providers on each stage of care from triage and screening to discharge.
Read the HealthPoint article on Medscape
Department of Defense COVID-19 Practice Management Guide
As part of its comprehensive information center on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Military Health System has released a practice management guide that includes a list of laboratory and study considerations for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Download the DoD Practice Management Guide
Siemens Healthineers COVID-19 Laboratory Testing Methods
RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2
The new FTD SARS-CoV-2 real time PCR Assay1 from Siemens Healthineers is now available for molecular laboratories. A dual-target design for SARS-CoV-2 detection provides assay robustness and high sensitivity, specificity, and inclusivity. The FTD SARS-CoV-2 Assay uses the same assay setup protocol and thermal-cycling profile as other FTD respiratory pathogens kits from Siemens Healthineers.2
SARS-CoV-2 (COV2T) Total Antibody Testing
Rapid and accurate antibody testing on a large scale is vital to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Siemens Healthineers SARS-CoV-2 Total (COV2T) Assay1 can be used effectively for broad population testing. There is the potential that broad population testing for antibodies may help re-open society in a smart way. Read Press Release
Role of Serology Tests in COVID-19
Serology testing is critical for the management and surveillance of COVID-19.
