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Ellis J, Harvey D, Defres S, Chandna A, MacLachlan E, Solomon T, Heyderman RS, McGill F. Clinical management of community-acquired meningitis in adults in the UK and Ireland in 2017: a retrospective cohort study on behalf of the National Infection Trainees Collaborative for Audit and Research (NITCAR). BMJ Open 2022; 12:e062698. [PMID: 35831140 PMCID: PMC9315913 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess practice in the care of adults with suspected community-acquired bacterial meningitis in the UK and Ireland. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING 64 UK and Irish hospitals. PARTICIPANTS 1471 adults with community-acquired meningitis of any aetiology in 2017. RESULTS None of the audit standards, from the 2016 UK Joint Specialists Societies guideline on diagnosis and management of meningitis, were met in all cases. With respect to 20 of 30 assessed standards, clinical management provided for patients was in line with recommendations in less than 50% of cases. 45% of patients had blood cultures taken within an hour of admission, 0.5% had a lumbar puncture within 1 hour, 26% within 8 hours. 28% had bacterial molecular diagnostic tests on cerebrospinal fluid. Median time to first dose of antibiotics was 3.2 hours (IQR 1.3-9.2). 80% received empirical parenteral cephalosporins. 55% ≥60 years and 31% of immunocompromised patients received anti-Listeria antibiotics. 21% received steroids. Of the 1471 patients, 20% had confirmed bacterial meningitis. Among those with bacterial meningitis, pneumococcal aetiology, admission to intensive care and initial Glasgow Coma Scale Score less than 14 were associated with in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR (aOR) 2.08, 95% CI 0.96 to 4.48; aOR 4.28, 95% CI 1.81 to 10.1; aOR 2.90, 95% CI 1.26 to 6.71, respectively). Dexamethasone therapy was weakly associated with a reduction in mortality in both those with proven bacterial meningitis (aOR 0.57, 95% CI 0.28 to 1.17) and with pneumococcal meningitis (aOR 0.47, 95% CI 0.20 to 1.10). CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that clinical care for patients with meningitis in the UK is not in line with current evidence-based national guidelines. Diagnostics and therapeutics should be targeted for quality improvement strategies. Work should be done to improve the impact of guidelines, understand why they are not followed and, once published, ensure they translate into changed practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne Ellis
- Research Department of Infection, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - David Harvey
- Microbiology, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Wirral, UK
| | - Sylviane Defres
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Unit, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Arjun Chandna
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Eloisa MacLachlan
- University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- National Student Association of Medical Research, Leeds, UK
| | - Tom Solomon
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK
- Neurology, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Centre, Liverpool, UK
| | - Robert S Heyderman
- Research Department of Infection, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - Fiona McGill
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK
- Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
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Backman R, Foy R, Diggle PJ, Kneen R, Easton A, Defres S, McGill F, Michael BD, Solomon T. A pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial of a tailored intervention to improve the initial management of suspected encephalitis. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202257. [PMID: 30521521 PMCID: PMC6283633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether a tailored multifaceted implementation strategy improves the initial management of patients with suspected encephalitis. DESIGN Pragmatic two arm cluster randomised controlled trial. SETTING Hospitals within the United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-four hospitals nested within 12 postgraduate deaneries. Patients were identified retrospectively by searching discharge, microbiology, radiology and pharmacy records and included if they met clinical criteria or had a recorded suspicion of encephalitis. INTERVENTION An implementation strategy designed to overcome barriers to change, comprising local action planning, education and training, feedback on performance, a lumbar puncture pack and a range of optional components. OUTCOMES The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with suspected encephalitis undergoing diagnostic lumbar puncture within 12 hours of admission and starting aciclovir treatment within six hours. Secondary outcomes included the proportions of adults and children who had a lumbar puncture, who had appropriate cerebrospinal fluid investigations, and who had appropriate radiological imaging within 24 hours of admission. Data were collected from patient records for 12 months before and 12 months during the intervention period, and analysed blind to allocation. RESULTS 13 hospitals were randomised to intervention and 11 to control (no intervention), with 266 and 223 patients with suspected encephalitis identified respectively. There was no significant difference in primary outcome between intervention and control hospitals (13.5% and 14.8% respectively, p = 0.619; treatment effect -0.188, 95% confidence interval -0.927 to 0.552), but both had improved compared to pre-intervention (8.5%). CONCLUSION The improvement in both intervention and control arms may reflect overall progress in management of encephalitis through wider awareness and education. TRIAL REGISTRATION Controlled Trials: ISRCTN06886935.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Backman
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Robbie Foy
- Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Peter J. Diggle
- Lancaster Medical School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
- Department Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Kneen
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurology, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Ava Easton
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- The Encephalitis Society, Malton, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Sylviane Defres
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona McGill
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Benedict Daniel Michael
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Solomon
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Lewis TL, Sagmeister ML, Miller GW, Boissaud-Cooke MA, Abrahams PH. Anatomy, radiology, and practical procedure education for foundation doctors in England: A National Observational Study. Clin Anat 2016; 29:982-990. [DOI: 10.1002/ca.22783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L. Lewis
- St George's Hospital; Blackshaw Road London SW17 0QT United Kingdom
| | | | - George W. Miller
- King's College London School of Medicine; Strand London WC2R 2LS United Kingdom
| | | | - Peter H. Abrahams
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick; Gibbet Hill Road Coventry CV4 7AL United Kingdom
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