Penicillin allergy status and its effect on antibiotic prescribing, patient outcomes and antimicrobial resistance (ALABAMA): protocol for a multicentre, parallel-arm, open-label, randomised pragmatic trial

INTRODUCTION

Incorrect penicillin allergy records are recognised as an important barrier to the safe treatment of infection and affect an estimated 2.7 million people in England. Penicillin allergy records are associated with worse health outcome and antimicrobial resistance. The ALlergy AntiBiotics And Microbial resistAnce (ALABAMA) trial aims to determine if an intervention package, centred around a penicillin allergy assessment pathway (PAAP) initiated in primary care, is safe and effective in improving patient health outcomes and antibiotic prescribing.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The ALABAMA trial is a multicentre, parallel-arm, open-label, randomised pragmatic trial with a nested pilot study. Adults (≥18 years) with a penicillin allergy record and who have received antibiotics in the previous 24 months will be eligible for participation. Between 1592 and 2090 participants will be recruited from participating National Health Service general practices in England. Participants will be randomised to either usual care or intervention to undergo a pre-emptive PAAP using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The primary outcome measure is the percentage of treatment response failures within 28 days of an index prescription. 2090 and 1592 participants are estimated to provide 90% and 80% power, respectively, to detect a clinically important absolute difference of 7.9% in primary outcome at 1 year between groups. The trial includes a mixed-methods process evaluation and cost-effectiveness evaluation.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This trial has been approved by London Bridge Research Ethics Committee (ref: 19/LO/0176). It will be conducted in compliance with Good Clinical Practice guidelines according to the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent will be obtained from all subjects involved in the study. The primary trial results will be submitted for publication to an international, peer-reviewed journal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN20579216.

Making Sense of Late Tissue Nodules Associated With Hyaluronic Acid Injections

BACKGROUND

The pathogenesis of delayed onset tissue nodules (DTNs) due to hyaluronic acid (HA) injections is uncertain.

OBJECTIVES

To formulate a rational theory for DTN development and their avoidance and treatment.

METHODS

A multi-disciplinary and multi country DTN consensus panel was established with 20 questions posed and consensus sought. Consensus was set at 75% agreement.

RESULTS

Consensus was reached in 16/20 questions regarding the pathogenesis of DTNs forming the basis of a classification and treatment guide.

CONCLUSIONS

The group believe that filler, pathogens and inflammation are all involved in DTNs and that DTNs most likely are infection initiated with a variable immune response. Injected filler may incorporate surface bacteria, either a commensal or a true pathogen if the skin barrier is altered. The initially High molecular weight HA (HMWHA) filler is degraded to Low molecular weight HA (LMWHA) at the edge of the filler. Commensals positioned within the filler bolus may be well tolerated until the filler is degraded and the commensal becomes visible to the immune system. LMWHA is particularly inflammatory in the presence of any local bacteria. Commensals may still be tolerated unless the immune system is generally heightened by viraemia, or vaccination. Systemic pathogenic bacteraemia may also interact with the filler peripheral LMWHA, activating Toll Like receptors inducing DTN formation. Given this scenario, attention to practitioner and patient hygiene and early systemic infection treatment deserve attention. Classification and treatment systems were devised by considering each of the 3 factors of filler, inflammation, and infection separately.

Synthesis of a new element with atomic number Z = 117

The discovery of a new chemical element with atomic number Z=117 is reported. The isotopes (293)117 and (294)117 were produced in fusion reactions between (48)Ca and (249)Bk. Decay chains involving 11 new nuclei were identified by means of the Dubna gas-filled recoil separator. The measured decay properties show a strong rise of stability for heavier isotopes with Z > or = 111, validating the concept of the long sought island of enhanced stability for superheavy nuclei.