Unlike multiplex testing that is restricted to a limited number of selected autoantigens, the total ANA biosensor employs a complex mix of potential autoantigens and has the plasticity and capacity to accommodate additional antigenic species to produce a universal platform for ANA screening.
An EMR could have safeguards built in to protect against accidental revelation of unwanted information from the results of a multiplex test that are stored in the patient's medical record.
Once the conditions were separated into groups defined by either the individual condition or by the multiplex test that detects many conditions, the scoring system could be overlaid to see how conditions compare to one another within these groupings, or in total.
There has been rapid development of multiplex molecular tests that detect pathogens commonly associated with particular syndromes (e.g., respiratory, enteric, and bloodstream infections).
There is an FDA-cleared molecular test to detect Candida spp. directly from whole blood (7 ), but this test does not seem to be widely used by clinical laboratories (CDC Mycotic Diseases Laboratory, pers. comm).. Nonetheless, multiplex PCR-based tests that detect organisms directly from blood and CSF are under development and may soon become more widely available in clinical settings (8, 9 ).
For example, in cases a multiplex PCR test that can detect >30 unique pathogens will be applied on both nasopharyngeal and induced sputum specimens.
For example, Silva et al. designed a multiplex PCR test that can discriminate between at least 6 naturally occurring genetic variants of mrp, named mrp s, mrp, mrp*, mrp**, mrp***, and mrp**** (20 ).
Some multiplex testing requires that an analytical target first be identified and placed in the multiplex test (e.g., genomic arrays).
Nevertheless, persisting difficulties arise when interpreting measurements of biomarker levels, a problem that is compounded by the dissemination of multiplex tests [6], thus increasing the volume of information generated.
