Plus Sutures for preventing surgical site infection: a systematic review of clinical outcomes with economic and environmental models

BACKGROUND

Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent ~ 20% of all hospital-acquired infections in surgical patients and are associated with prolonged hospital stay, admission to intensive care, and mortality. We conducted a systematic review with economic and environmental models to assess whether triclosan-coated sutures (Plus Sutures) provide benefits over non-coated sutures in the reduction of SSI risk.

METHODS

Searches were conducted in fifteen databases. A total of 1,991 records were retrieved. Following deduplication and screening by two independent reviewers, 31 randomized controlled trials in adults and children were included in the review. Similarity of the studies was assessed by narrative review and confirmed by quantitative assessment. A fixed effects meta-analysis of SSI incidence model including all groups of patients estimated a risk ratio of 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.64 to 0.79) indicating those in the Plus Sutures group had a 29% reduction in the risk of developing an SSI compared with those in the control group (p < 0.001). Safety outcomes were analysed qualitatively.

RESULTS

The economic model estimated the use of Plus Sutures to result in average cost savings of £13.63 per patient. Plus Sutures remained cost-saving in all subgroup analyses with cost-savings ranging between £11 (clean wounds) and £140 (non-clean wounds). The environmental impact of SSI is substantial, and the model suggests that the introduction of Plus Sutures could result in potential environmental benefits.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence suggests that Plus Sutures are associated with a reduced incidence of SSI across all surgery types alongside cost savings when compared with standard sutures.

Diagnosing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in UK NHS ICUs: the perceived value and role of a novel optical technology

BACKGROUND

Diagnosing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in an intensive care unit (ICU) is a complex process. Our aim was to collect, evaluate and represent the information relating to current clinical practice for the diagnosis of VAP in UK NHS ICUs, and to explore the potential value and role of a novel diagnostic for VAP, which uses optical molecular alveoscopy to visualise the alveolar space.

METHODS

Qualitative study performing semi-structured interviews with clinical experts. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed. A flow diagram of the VAP patient pathway was elicited and validated with the expert interviewees. Fourteen clinicians were interviewed from a range of UK NHS hospitals: 12 ICU consultants, 1 professor of respiratory medicine and 1 professor of critical care.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified, relating to [1] current practice for the diagnosis of VAP, [2] current clinical need in VAP diagnostics, [3] the potential value and role of the technology, [4] the barriers to adoption and [5] the evidence requirements for the technology, to help facilitate a successful adoption. These themes indicated that diagnosis of VAP is extremely difficult, as is the decision to stop antibiotic treatment. The analysis revealed that there is a clinical need for a diagnostic that provides an accurate and timely diagnosis of the causative pathogen, without the long delays associated with return of culture results, and which is not dangerous to the patient. It was determined that the technology would satisfy important aspects of this clinical need for diagnosing VAP (and pneumonia, more generally), but would require further evidence on safety and efficacy in the patient population to facilitate adoption.

CONCLUSIONS

Care pathway analysis performed in this study was deemed accurate and representative of current practice for diagnosing VAP in a UK ICU as determined by relevant clinical experts, and explored the value and role of a novel diagnostic, which uses optical technology, and could streamline the diagnostic pathway for VAP and other pneumonias.

Cost implications for the NHS of using the Alere™ i Influenza A & B near patient test with nasal swabs

BACKGROUND

Influenza is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract. A rapid confirmatory diagnosis of influenza is important, since it is highly transmissible and outbreaks of influenza within the hospital setting increase morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost implications, from the perspective of the UK NHS, of using on-label nasal swabs with the Alere™ i Influenza A & B test in a near patient setting.

METHODS

A cost consequence model was developed. The time horizon of the model was from hospital admission on suspicion of influenza until the end of treatment (following a diagnosis of influenza or discharge from hospital). Data on the prevalence of influenza and the sensitivity and specificity of the Alere™ i Influenza A & B test came from two prospective observational diagnostic accuracy studies. Costs were obtained from published resources. Uncertainties in the model data were investigated using deterministic, one-way sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

Using the Alere™ i Influenza A & B point of care test with nasal swabs (on label) in NHS medical assessment units and emergency departments could save approximately £242,730 per 1000 adults presenting with influenza-like symptoms. The main cause for this was reduced times to availability of the result compared with the laboratory RT-PCR test. Other key drivers of savings were the cost of isolation, the prevalence of influenza, the specificity of the test, and the availability of isolation resources.

CONCLUSIONS

The Alere™ i Influenza A & B point of care test would have greatest impact in hospitals that have extensive delays in the time to receive a result. Sensitivity analyses identified the model parameters which would have greatest effect on the result and confirmed that assumptions were conservative, i.e. did not change key results.

The myth of the 'unaffected' side after unilateral stroke: is reorganisation of the non-infarcted corticospinal system to re-establish balance the price for recovery?

Background

Bilateral changes in the hemispheric reorganisation have been observed chronically after unilateral stroke. Our hypotheses were that activity dependent competition between the lesioned and non-lesioned corticospinal systems would result in persisting asymmetry and be associated with poor recovery.

Methods

Eleven subjects (medium 6.5 years after stroke) were compared to 9 age-matched controls. The power spectral density (PSD) of the sensorimotor electroencephalogram (SM1-EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) and corticomuscular coherence (CMC) were studied during rest and isometric contraction of right or left opponens pollicis (OP). Global recovery was assessed using NIH score.

Findings

There was bilateral loss of beta frequency activity in the SM1-EEGs and OP-EMGs in strokes compared to controls. There was no difference between strokes and controls in symmetry indices estimated between the two corticospinal systems for SM1-EEG, OP-EMG and CMC. Performance correlated with preservation of beta frequency power in OP-EMG in both hands. Symmetry indices for the SM1-EEG, OP-EMG and CMC correlated with recovery.

Interpretation

Significant changes occurred at both cortical and spinomuscular levels after stroke but to the same degree and in the same direction in both the lesioned and non-lesioned corticospinal systems. Global recovery correlated with the degree of symmetry between corticospinal systems at all three levels — cortical and spinomuscular levels and their connectivity (CMC), but not with the absolute degree of abnormality. Re‐establishing balance between the corticospinal systems may be important for overall motor function, even if it is achieved at the expense of the non-lesioned system.