Use of the tetanus quick stick (TQS) test in the emergency services

Abstract

Standard procedure when treating tetanigenic risk wounds in an emergency room setting, usually includes administering a dose of gamma-globulin or/and a tetanus vaccine. The rapid detection test (Tetanus Quick Stick [TQS]) can better the current procedure of detecting people who are not immunized. Our objective was to review and analyse the validity of the TQS test, and determine the cost-benefit with the data available. We searched the following data bases for information: WoS, PubMed, EMBASE & SCOPUS. After reviewing articles and applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, we included 20 articles mostly European and written by Emergency room services. Sensitivity ranged from 55%-100%, specificity from 66.6%-100%, PPV: 81.1%-100%, NPV: 42.9%-100%. Most of the tests supported the cost-benefit analysis of the TQS test. We determined that in emergency room situations, it would be beneficial to use the TQS test, and an example of good clinical practice.

Keywords: Cost-benefit analysis; Coste-beneficio; Diagnostic test; Emergency service; Prueba rápida de tétanos (TQS); Pruebas diagnósticas; Servicios de urgencias; Tetanus; Tetanus Quick Stick (TQS); Tétanos.