Background The use of point-of-care testing (POCT) for influenza is not routine in many hospitals in the United Kngdom and testing is currently by laboratory-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. This review aims to evaluate patients who were tested positive for influenza in the last winter season and project if future POCT usage at initial point of patient assessment could assist in better utilisation of healthcare resources. Methods Retrospective review in a district general hospital without POCT facility for influenza. Medical records of patients who tested positive for influenza during a 4-month period from 1 October 2019 to 31 January 2020 in the paediatric department were reviewed and analysed. Results Thirty patients had laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza of which 63% ( n = 19) were admitted to the ward. 56% of patients were not isolated at first instance on admission and 50% ( n = 9) of admitted patients did not require inpatient management which totalled up to 224 h length of stay in ward. Conclusions Routine POCT for influenza can potentially improve management of patients presenting with respiratory symptoms and allocation of healthcare resources. We recommend its use to be introduced in diagnostic pathways for acute respiratory illness in the paediatric population in the next winter season in all hospitals.
Aim To review the literature of the benefits of enteral zinc supplementation in preterm population <37 weeks to improve growth and clinical outcome. Methods PubMed database was searched for relevant articles. Studies not in English were excluded. Results A total of 2678 results were identified. Duplicates were removed and titles were screened. References were reviewed to find other papers. Studies which include term infants were not examined although studies involving low birthweight infants with a defined percentage of preterm participants were examined. Thirty‐four studies were subsequently reviewed, and nine studies were included as relevant to structured clinical question. Conclusion There are various levels of evidence suggesting benefits of enteral zinc supplementation in preterm babies. While the available trial findings are encouraging, there is currently limited evidence to address the effects of zinc supplementation in preterm infants in the setting of their typically long stay in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. A larger multi‐centre trial is required to establish optimal timing of initiation, dosage, duration and its effect on growth, development and acute morbidity and mortality.
been referred and appointments booked pre-COVID but urgent (2 -week) referrals from GPs were also seen.Patients/parents/carers were called at least 3 times on 3 different occasions over at least 2 days. If they did not answer they were listed as 'was not brought'. Calls were made between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Results 262 new patients had new General Paediatric Clinic appointments and 235 (90%) were successfully contacted. 27 (10%) of patients 'were not brought'. These 27 patients were excluded from on-going analysis.Following one telephone consultation, 105 (45%) contacted patients could be discharged from the General Paediatric clinic with parental agreement. Of these 27 (11%) patients had a complaint which had resolved by the time of the appointment and 19 (8%) patients had already been seen by a private consultant or other NHS consultant. Thus 46 (20%) of the contacted patients did not need their General Paediatric appointment.Only 7 (3%) patients needed urgent face-to face-review of which 4 were urgent 2-week wait referrals by the GP. 155 (66%) patients needed no investigations. Conclusions The NHS is going through unchartered, challenging time. However, this provides opportunities to adapt and evolve services, improving efficiency of care for both the families we look after and health service staff. The data above highlights that almost half of the new General Paediatric outpatients could be successfully discharged from clinic after one telephone consultation. During a time of significant anxiety and uncertainty families avoided hospital contact. A similar system when we return to normality could lead to fewer absences from school and less time off work for parents. Out experience suggests that initial telephone consultations with new General Paediatric patients may be an efficient way to make first patient contact.
been referred and appointments booked pre-COVID but urgent (2 -week) referrals from GPs were also seen.Patients/parents/carers were called at least 3 times on 3 different occasions over at least 2 days. If they did not answer they were listed as 'was not brought'. Calls were made between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Results 262 new patients had new General Paediatric Clinic appointments and 235 (90%) were successfully contacted. 27 (10%) of patients 'were not brought'. These 27 patients were excluded from on-going analysis.Following one telephone consultation, 105 (45%) contacted patients could be discharged from the General Paediatric clinic with parental agreement. Of these 27 (11%) patients had a complaint which had resolved by the time of the appointment and 19 (8%) patients had already been seen by a private consultant or other NHS consultant. Thus 46 (20%) of the contacted patients did not need their General Paediatric appointment.Only 7 (3%) patients needed urgent face-to face-review of which 4 were urgent 2-week wait referrals by the GP. 155 (66%) patients needed no investigations. Conclusions The NHS is going through unchartered, challenging time. However, this provides opportunities to adapt and evolve services, improving efficiency of care for both the families we look after and health service staff. The data above highlights that almost half of the new General Paediatric outpatients could be successfully discharged from clinic after one telephone consultation. During a time of significant anxiety and uncertainty families avoided hospital contact. A similar system when we return to normality could lead to fewer absences from school and less time off work for parents. Out experience suggests that initial telephone consultations with new General Paediatric patients may be an efficient way to make first patient contact.
We have considered whether this can be attributed to Hashimoto's encephalopathy as a post-inflammatory neurological manifestation of SARS-CoV-2.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.