Testing for nephrological diseases in pediatrics – the role of point-of-care devices and the medical analysis laboratory in the current context

Background and objectives. Nephrological diseases in children are common, representing an important burden on patients and healthcare. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the transition of the most recent advances in the in vitro diagnostics (IVD) field, including point-of-care (POC) testing methods, to the clinical practice in pediatrics. Materials and methods. Testing indications for pediatric nephrological diseases were identified in the available clinical guidelines and, for comparison, the developments in the IVD field were reviewed based on scientific literature about testing methods, performance evaluation, and POC testing implementation. Results. Testing in the context of nephrological diseases is widely addressed in the available clinical guidelines. While performant POC tests have been developed, the recommendations for testing do not address this progress, nor their integration with traditional laboratory tests. For example, urine dipstick testing has a central role in the management of urinary tract infections of children and it is a basis for clinical decisions, the same method being available for both POC and laboratory tests. Conclusions. Specific testing recommendations for nephrological conditions must be elaborated, based on the availability of the methods and their performances. Implementing POC testing is a challenge, but it can provide benefits for both the patient and the healthcare systems, in addition to the standard laboratory testing.