Identification and treatment of paediatric sepsis: getting the balance right

This journal article says recent National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on sepsis defines clinical criteria to guide the management of a child presenting with suspected infection. In children with suspected infection, the authors say presence of a ' high-risk ' criterion should lead to intravenous access, parenteral antibiotic administration and consideration of intravenous fluid boluses, unless a senior decision-making doctor senior decision-making doctor (DMD; defined as a Specialist Trainee (ST) 4 paediatrician, or ST4 emergency physician for older children) makes an alternative diagnosis. They say that since clinical screening criteria for sepsis are non-specific, many children without sepsis may receive antibiotic treatment for each case of true sepsis. Early review by senior paediatricians of children presenting to emergency departments with serious bacterial infection has previously been associated with better outcome. The article concludes that the consistent presence of DMDs in EDs may therefore maintain NICE guideline compliance, reduce costs and improve care of children with febrile illnesses.
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news