Assessing variation in neonatal sepsis screening across England

Early-onset neonatal sepsis (EOS) is associated with serious adverse outcomes. Current screening for clinical signs of sepsis in England typically involves one of two approaches: guidelines issued by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) or a risk-based tool developed in the USA, the Kaiser Permanente Sepsis Risk Calculator (KP SRC). An update to the 2012 NICE guidelines in April 2021 permitted the alternative use of the KP SRC with prospective audit.1 The application of the KP SRC has been consistently shown to reduce antibiotic usage2 3; however, uncertainty exists among clinicians as to whether this comes at the expense of increasing numbers of missed EOS cases. As such, benefits in reducing unnecessary treatment must be considered against potential undertreatment. Differences among National Health Service neonatal units in England arising from the coexistence of the two clinical screening protocols present an opportunity to...
Source: Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition - Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Tags: PostScript Source Type: research