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Early targeted next-generation sequencing accelerates clinical recovery in children with community-acquired

Di Lian1, Dong Wang2, Chenye Lin3

  • 1Di Lian, MMed, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, China.

Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences
|June 29, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Early targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) in pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) significantly improves diagnostic yield and accelerates patient recovery. This approach facilitates timely interventions, leading to better clinical outcomes for children with CAP.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Diagnostics
  • Clinical Microbiology

Background:

  • The clinical impact of testing timing for targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) in pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is not well understood.
  • Early implementation of tNGS may accelerate clinical recovery and improve patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the comprehensive value of early tNGS implementation in pediatric CAP.
  • To compare the diagnostic yield, clinical outcomes, and costs of tNGS versus conventional testing (CT).

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study of 199 hospitalized children with CAP at Fujian Children's Hospital (2021-2023).
  • Patients were grouped by tNGS vs. CT, with tNGS stratified into early (≤48h) and late (>48h) testing.
  • Comparison of diagnostic yield, clinical recovery times, therapeutic adjustments, and costs.

Main Results:

  • tNGS showed significantly higher sensitivity than CT for bacteria (86.0% vs. 19.0%) and viruses (88.1% vs. 26.2%).
  • Early tNGS testing correlated with shorter times to cough improvement (6.0 vs. 9.0 days) and rale resolution (7.0 vs. 8.0 days).
  • Early testing facilitated more timely therapeutic adjustments, with trends toward lower costs and shorter hospital stays.

Conclusions:

  • Early tNGS implementation in pediatric CAP enhances diagnostic yield and accelerates clinical recovery.
  • Timely, targeted therapeutic interventions driven by early tNGS lead to improved patient outcomes.
  • Integrating early tNGS into clinical workflows represents a shift towards an outcome-driven diagnostic strategy.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildrenClinical outcomeCommunity-acquired pneumoniaDiagnostic valueEconomic valueTargeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS)

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