Respiratory Disease Testing Market

Market Overview

The global respiratory disease testing market size was valued at USD 6140 million in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast study period.

Respiratory disease testing aids in determining the type of lung disorder and disease severity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year 2 million people in the U.S. get infected by hospital-acquired infections. These infections further lead to lower respiratory tract infections such as tracheobronchitis and ventilator-associated pneumonia. The accessibility to innovative and cost-effective respiratory disease testing kits, devices, software, and consumables has improved the early detection of respiratory diseases. The rising prevalence of respiratory diseases, technological advances in respiratory disease testing, and the burgeoning geriatric population have contributed to the growth of the respiratory disease testing market.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

• Rising Prevalence of Respiratory Diseases

Respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and others, are critical public health burdens worldwide.

As per the Forum of International Respiratory Societies report, respiratory diseases account for more than 4 million deaths yearly. These infections are the leading cause of death in developing countries. It further stated that approximately 4 million people die prematurely from chronic respiratory disease every year.

Infants and young children are more susceptible to respiratory infections. For instance, according to statistics provided by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 1 in 12 children suffered asthma in 2017 in the U.S. Moreover, it further stated that asthma accounts for 1.8 million emergency department visit each year in the U.S. alone.

According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Prevention, COPD is the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S. Furthermore, as per the British Lung Foundation, approximately 2% of the whole population that is 4.5% of all people aged over 40 lives with COPD in the U.K. Besides, according to a report published by The Australian Lung Foundation, upper respiratory tract infections cost Australians more than A$150 million in direct cost every year. In addition to this, the sudden emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 has increased the demand for respiratory disease test systems. The first case of COVID-19 was declared in Wuhan, China in December 2019. With the number of cases rising day by day globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency.

• Increasing Geriatric Population

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the world’s population between the age group of 60 years and more is expected to reach the figure of 2 billion by 2050, which is up from 900 million in 2015. Also, as per data published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, China Power Project, in 2015, China’s elderly population aged 65 or older was 9. 5%, which is projected to rise up to 27.5% by 2050. Additionally, as per World Bank data, India’s elderly population aged 65 and above was reported at 6.3779% of the total population in 2019.

The geriatric age group is more prone to respiratory infections due to physiological and structural changes in the respiratory system with aging. Moreover, the morbidity and mortality rate tends to increase with the age. For instance, according to the Allergy &Immunology Journal 2019, asthma affects between 4% and 13% of adults between the age group of 65 years and more in the United States. Moreover, several studies suggested that Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) effects can be severe in senior patients with a mortality rate of around 70-80%.

Therefore, early detection and understanding of respiratory disease are essential to improve patient outcomes in the elderly. This is expected to augment the overall growth of the respiratory disease testing market.

Regional Analysis

The regional analysis takes into account the trends of the respiratory disease testing market in the regions of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East and Africa.

North America’s Improving Healthcare Infrastructure and the Prevalence of Chronic Bronchitis

North America held a dominant position in 2019 and is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecast period. Factors such as the rising prevalence of respiratory diseases, adoption of advanced and newer respiratory testing devices, growing healthcare infrastructure, and improvements in overall healthcare access are positively influencing the market growth in this region. For instance, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 9 million adults were diagnosed with chronic bronchitis in 2018. Moreover, about 5.7 million physician office visits were reported with emphysema and other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2018 as a prime reason for diagnosis. Along with this, the upsurge in COVID-19 cases, government support, the presence of prominent market players, and the growing adoption of portable respiratory devices such as spirometers are expected to drive the growth of this region.

Asia-Pacific Anticipated to Show Promising Growth Trend During the Forecast Period

The Asia-Pacific respiratory disease testing market is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the burgeoning geriatric population, rise in a number of respiratory diseases and associated deaths, ongoing efforts of market players to expand their base in emerging economies.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, an estimated 7.4 million people were diagnosed with chronic respiratory conditions in 2017–18. Moreover, COPD was the fifth leading cause of death in 2017 in Australia. This upsurge in chronic respiratory infections along with growing air pollution levels and hazardous gases and increasing awareness about respiratory disease testing would contribute to the respiratory disease testing market in the Asia-Pacific region.

Segmental Analysis

Imaging Tests Emerging as a Dominant Product Segment

The imaging tests segment held the largest market share in 2019 and is anticipated to continue the same trend during the projected period, primarily owing to the high adoption of x-ray imaging modalities for better visualization of a disease condition. Moreover, past few years, Computed Tomography (CT) is becoming the equipment of choice for the diagnosis of lung diseases such as COPD. The rapid adoption of CT scans and X-ray imaging in clinical practice for evaluation and understanding of thoracic and lung structure is expected to maintain the dominance of this segment during the forecast period.

Respiratory measurement devices are often known as respirometers, which include pulse oximeters, spirometers, peak flow meters, and capnography. The growing demand for pulse oximeters is attributed to the need for continuous monitoring in coronavirus patients and the rising importance of patient safety.

The Hospitals Segment Holds the Largest Share Among the End-Use Segments

The hospitals segment held the largest share of the global respiratory disease testing market in 2019. This is primarily due to emergency room visits and the growth in the prevalence of chronic respiratory infections. The efficacy and accuracy of respiratory diagnostic devices such as X-rays, CT scans, and other respiratory measurement equipment, is accelerating the hospital segment’s growth.

As per data of the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey2018, there were 6,146 hospitals in the U.S. The growing number of hospital admissions, installation of technologically advanced respiratory testing equipment, and growing public-private partnerships to increase healthcare access are the factors driving the growth of this segment.

Recent Developments

• In December 2019, Medtronic and Christina Care collaborated to offer affordable care and improve patient outcomes in Delaware and the surrounding region.
• In March 2020, the U.S.Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Abbot’s ID NOW platform, a molecular point-of-care test. This is used to detect coronavirus symptoms like influenza, step throat, and respiratory syncytial.