Diagnostic Performance of a Multiplex Molecular Panel for Rapid Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

International Journal of Medical Advances and Discoveries | Vol. 17, No. 6, June 2026 | pp. 46–54

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJMAD/000117

Original Research Article

Title: Diagnostic Performance of a Multiplex Molecular Panel for Rapid Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Names of Authors: Katarina Lindström¹, Amara K. Vance², Ibrahim A. Al-Hassan³

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; ²Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK; ³Infectious Diseases Unit, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar

Abstract: Delaying appropriate antimicrobial therapy in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is associated with an increased mortality rate. Conventional culture methods require 48 to 72 hours to identify specific phenotypic resistance profiles. This multi-center diagnostic accuracy trial evaluated a novel automated multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) panel designed to identify 22 respiratory pathogens and 14 critical antimicrobial resistance genes (including blaKPC, blaNDM, and mecA) directly from endotracheal aspirates within 4 hours. Samples from 412 intensive care unit patients with suspected VAP were evaluated simultaneously using the multiplex qPCR panel and standard microbiological cultures. The molecular panel demonstrated an overall diagnostic sensitivity of 96.8% (95% Confidence Interval [93.2%, 98.7%]) and a specificity of 94.1% (95% CI [91.4%, 96.2%]) for pathogen identification compared to culture techniques. For antibiotic resistance gene detection, the panel achieved a positive predictive value of 95.2% and a negative predictive value of 99.1%. Clinical simulation tracking revealed that utilizing the molecular panel findings could potentially accelerate time-to-optimal targeted antibiotic adjustment by a median of 38.5 hours (p < 0.001) without compromising patient safety. Rapid multiplex molecular profiling represents a highly accurate, efficient methodology for improving antibiotic stewardship in critical care settings.

Keywords: Ventilator-associated pneumonia, Multiplex PCR, Antimicrobial resistance, Diagnostic accuracy, Antibiotic stewardship, Intensive care

Manuscript Timeline: Received: March 10, 2026; Revised: April 22, 2026; Accepted: May 12, 2026; Published: June 18, 2026

Citation: Lindström, K., Vance, A. K., & Al-Hassan, I. A. (2026). Diagnostic Performance of a Multiplex Molecular Panel for Rapid Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia. International Journal of Medical Advances and Discoveries, 17(6), 46–54. doi.org

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