AIMS
This research aims to help healthcare professionals recognise sepsis earlier and choose the right antibiotics for patients with serious infections. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that happens when the body’s response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs. The researchers will look at how antibiotics are used in hospitals and whether patients receive the most suitable treatment. They will also begin developing a computer-based tool to help healthcare professionals decide when antibiotics are needed and which ones to use.
BACKGROUND
Sepsis is a medical emergency. Early treatment is vital because delays can increase the risk of serious complications and death. However, sepsis can be difficult to recognise in its early stages because its symptoms can be similar to those of other illnesses.
Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, but they do not work against viruses. Using antibiotics when they are not needed can cause side effects and contribute to antibiotic resistance. This means bacteria become harder to treat with antibiotics. Some antibiotics, called broad-spectrum antibiotics, work against a wide range of bacteria. They are important for treating severe infections but should only be used when needed.
Healthcare professionals need to treat serious infections quickly while avoiding unnecessary antibiotics. The tools currently available to help them make these decisions have limitations. This means some patients may receive broad-spectrum antibiotics when they do not need them.
RESEARCH
The researchers will study information already collected during routine hospital care. They will look at the records of patients admitted with a suspected infection to understand how sepsis is recognised and how healthcare professionals choose antibiotic treatments.
The researchers will look at:
- How many patients admitted with a suspected infection have sepsis.
- How well the scoring systems used in hospitals help staff identify sepsis.
- Which antibiotics are used most often when sepsis is suspected.
- How often broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed, including a group called carbapenems.
- How antibiotic resistance changes over time.
- What happens to patients, including whether they recover, how long they stay in hospital and whether they survive.
The findings will help researchers develop an early version of a computer-based tool to support treatment decisions. It is intended to help healthcare professionals identify patients at high risk of sepsis and choose the most suitable antibiotics. The tool will first be tested in a research setting. It will not be used in routine patient care at this stage.
PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Patients and members of the public have helped shape this research from the start. Patients in emergency departments and hospital units providing urgent medical care were asked for their views. They strongly supported research to improve sepsis care and antibiotic use.
Feedback from patient groups has helped shape the study. They highlighted the importance of sharing results in ways that are easy to understand. Patients have also said they would like to help test and review the proposed tool to make sure it is clear and useful.
The project follows the Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre’s approach to involving patients and the public in research. The team is committed to continuing this involvement, communicating clearly, making information accessible and showing how people’s contributions shape the research.
APPROVAL
All members of the PIONEER Data Trust Committee supported this project.
The research is led by Professor Elizabeth Sapey. She is Chair of Acute and Respiratory Medicine, Director of the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, and Director of PIONEER.
