NHS trialling rapid blood test to help diagnose sepsis and meningitis in children | NHS
The NHS is currently trialling a rapid blood test to help diagnose life-threatening illnesses in children.
The 15-minute blood test can speed the diagnosis of conditions such as sepsis or meningitis by telling doctors whether a patient has a bacterial or viral infection.
Instead of relying on the results of regular blood tests, which can take several hours and require laboratory analysis, the test can quickly indicate whether a patient has a bacterial infection that could benefit from immediate antibiotics.
Doctors who participated in the trial say they have witnessed the benefits. In one case, a child with meningococcal meningitis received treatment much more quickly, and another with sepsis was immediately started on antibiotics.
NHS England funded a trial of the technology in three emergency departments: at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, St Mary’s Hospital in London and Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.
Enitan Carrol, professor of pediatric infection at the University of Liverpool, who is leading the project, said: “Many children who come to hospital have a fever and this test can quickly distinguish between a minor viral illness like a cold or a more serious infection.
“Our study investigates whether this definitive test for a bacterial or viral infection will be useful in helping doctors make faster decisions and reduce the use of unnecessary antibiotics – which is better for patients and the NHS. »
Dr Charlotte Durand, consultant in pediatric emergency medicine at Alder Hey, said the test “could have a massive impact on the emergency care of pediatric patients”.
Dr Ron Daniels, founder and chief medical officer of the UK Sepsis Trust, told the PA news agency the test could save lives.
He said: “A recent national publication suggests that, of the deaths of around 500 children each year where infection was present, care was suboptimal in 40% of cases.
“Making the right decision about early antimicrobial prescribing in children who need antibiotics most could potentially save dozens of young lives each year. »
Daniels said serious infections and sepsis constitute “one of the biggest acute disease burdens facing our NHS”, while antibiotic resistance, which is largely caused by over-prescribing, also affects thousands of patients.
He added: “Using antibiotics more judiciously – that is, both refusing them in people who will not benefit from them and administering them urgently to those who need them most – has never been more important. Although the study involved children, previous studies have shown that it performed even better in adults, meaning there are potential opportunities at all ages.”
The study of the MeMed BV test will continue until March.
