Near patient testing must improve patient care

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Abstract
With the technological development, new possibilities emerge for near patient testing. Numerous kits and instruments are offered to primary care laboratories. Their use should, however, be determined by medical needs rather than by availability. The utility of a test in specific situation depends on its ability to contribute information, and on whether the test result enables the clinician to cross a diagnostic or therapeutic threshold. It has been shown that rapid diagnosis and treatment of group A beta haemolytic streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis shorten the disease duration and clinical symptoms (1-3). In addition, the incidence of rheumatic fever, as well as suppurative complications, decreased after penicillin therapy (4, 5). Thus the premises for evaluation of a patient near test for Gas pharyngitis are present. An important question then emerges: Is a specific test with detection of antigen on group A beta-haemolytic streptococci better than other general tests for inflammation such as C-reactive protein (CRP), while blood cells counts (WBC), or erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)? This questions is addressed by Hjortdahl and Melbye in the present issue [6].