Implementation of the NICE prevention and treatment of early onset neonatal infection guideline: the Glasgow experience

The 2012 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline for prevention and treatment of neonatal early onset sepsis (EOS)1 has been subject to much debate since its publication. We have read with interest the experiences from other maternity units2–5 that have adopted this guideline. In contrast to these negative experiences, in Glasgow we have observed a positive impact following implementation in two large perinatal centres. The recommended changes aim to prioritise antibiotic treatment for infants most likely to develop EOS, while minimising antibiotic exposure and reducing hospital stay for those at less risk. NICE advises considering carrying out a lumbar puncture (LP) and completing a 7-day course of antibiotics if the C reactive protein (CRP) is >10 mg/dL. Local practice recommends that antibiotics are discontinued after two normal CRPs, or after the normalisation of an elevated CRP, avoiding empirical 7-day courses of antibiotics for...
Source: Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition - Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Tags: PostScript Source Type: research