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Meningitis: Treatment protocol for hospital doctors - newly updated
23 February 2005
Meningitis Research Foundation, in collaboration with The British Infection Society, has just updated their treatment protocol for hospital doctors as a result of the following emerging evidence and national recommendations:
- The role of steroids receives greater emphasis because of mounting evidence of its utility in meningitis and in septicaemia.
- Reference is made to the use of activated protein C which has been assessed by NICE and recommended for use within its licensed indication.
- Glycaemic control in septicaemia is emphasised.
The protocol - Early Management of Suspected Bacterial Meningitis and Meningococcal Septicaemia in Adults - comes in poster and leaflet format, and has been widely distributed to doctors in Emergency Medicine, General Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Critical Care and Anaesthetics.
This resource focuses specifically on minimising delays in diagnosis and administration of antibiotics, appropriate use of monitoring, investigations, critical care facilities and management of the complications of the disease - primarily shock and raised intracranial pressure.
Said Prof Rob Heyderman of the British Infection Society: "Early recognition, stabilisation and institution of specific therapeutic measures are crucial to patient outcome. We hope this resource will be of practical value in the A&E department, critical care units and other acute clinical areas".
Denise Vaughan, Meningitis Research Foundation's Chief Executive commented: "We are delighted to have worked with the British Infection Society to revise this protocol. Although in the last few years cases of bacterial meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia have declined in children, fatalities in adults have risen. We hope this revised resource will help hospital doctors treating patients with meningitis and septicaemia, and save lives."
Notes to Editor:
- The algorithm - Early Management of Suspected Bacterial Meningitis and Meningococcal Septicaemia in Adults - can be obtained as a poster (A2) or leaflet, available free of charge from any of the Foundation's UK offices, ordered on-line, downloaded from this website or from the British Infection Society's website at http://www.britishinfectionsociety.org/meningitis.html
- Based on consultation and research, Meningitis Research Foundation produces a range of resources for health professionals: a management algorithm for paediatrics, an RCPCH-endorsed booklet for junior doctors, an RCN-endorsed pocket card for Frontline Nurses, BMA-endorsed Guidance Notes for GPs, an RCN-endorsed booklet for Community Nurses and a pocket card for ambulance personnel, endorsed by JRCALC.
- Meningitis Research Foundation is a national registered charity which since its inception has funded research in excess of £10 million. It is currently funding 31 research projects in the UK and internationally to a total value in excess of £4 million, by far the largest commitment of any meningitis charity.
- The British infection Society aims to promote the science and practice of medicine in relation to infection, and to further research, training and education in the subject.
- National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) works on behalf of the NHS and people who use it, making recommendations on treatments and care using best available evidence.
- The algorithm will continue to be updated on a regular basis to accommodate new evidence and new practices as they arise.