Introduction: acute diarrheal disease is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. Molecular tests such as the gastrointestinal panel seek to rapidly and more specifically document the etiological agent, and thereby favor early therapeutic interventions. However, in Latin American adults there is little evidence regarding its usefulness. Therefore, this study seeks to describe the clinical, paraclinical and management characteristics of adult patients who underwent a gastrointestinal panel. Methodology: cross-sectional study in which patients older than 18 years with a diagnosis of diarrhea were included, who underwent a gastrointestinal panel, from November 2015 to March 2019, at the Fundación Cardioinfantil. Results: 807 patients were included, of which 82.6% had comorbidities, and presented acute diarrhea with a median of 3 days (IQR 1-7). Of the total gastrointestinal panels, 54% had a microbiological isolation. The most frequent etiology was bacterial (49.2%), with enteropathogenic E. coli the main cause (18.6%). The most widely used empirical antibiotic was ampicillin / sulbactam (31%). About 56% underwent a change of antibiotic, and in 18% it was suspended, mostly secondary to the result of the gastrointestinal panel (79.4%). Discussion: of the adults from the Fundación Cardioinfantil with diarrheal disease, the bacterial etiology was the main cause, and the result of the panel was relevant for the change of antibiotic treatment used, being a useful diagnostic tool in the approach of patients with diarrhea.
