The short Synacthen test: a questionnaire survey of current usage

2012 ◽  
Vol 97 (10) ◽  
pp. 870-873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Jane Elder ◽  
Pooja Sachdev ◽  
Neil Peter Wright
Keyword(s):  
Low Dose ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
British Society ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Paediatric Endocrinology ◽  
Children With Asthma ◽  
Synacthen Test ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Short Synacthen Test

BackgroundSupported by meta-analyses, the low-dose Synacthen test (LDST) has gained in popularity, with many believing it to be more sensitive than the supraphysiological standard (250 µg) short ST (SSST), particularly when assessing children prescribed high-dose inhaled corticosteroids (HDICS). However, consensus is lacking about its specific clinical application, what is considered ‘low dose’ and how that dose is made up.MethodsTo ascertain current use of the short Synacthen test (SST), a questionnaire was emailed to members of the British Society of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes in the UK and Ireland (N=257), requesting a response from each department (N=92). A reminder was sent a month later to members of departments which had not responded.ResultsThe authors received 39 replies, giving a response rate of 42%. All departments use the SST: 82% use an LDST, 87% use the SSST and 69% use both. The 1 µg dose was used by 44% of hospitals, with the other 56% using seven different doses based on age, weight and body surface area. There were 14 different methods of preparing the low dose test. Additionally, variations in the timings of cortisol sampling and the diagnostic cut-offs for adrenal insufficiency were found. Increased requests for SSTs in children with asthma prescribed HDICS were noted by 44% of respondents, with 67% reporting the detection of adrenal suppression in this group.ConclusionStandardisation of the SST is required to address the considerable variation in the methodology and application of this test in the UK and Ireland.

scholarly journals Adrenal responses to a low-dose short synacthen test in children with asthma

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 648-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel B. Hawcutt ◽  
Andrea L. Jorgensen ◽  
Naomi Wallin ◽  
Ben Thompson ◽  
Matthew Peak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Dose ◽  
Children With Asthma ◽  
Synacthen Test ◽  
Short Synacthen Test

scholarly journals Adrenal responses to a low-dose short synacthen test in children with asthma

2016 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
pp. 793-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel B. Hawcutt ◽  
Andrea L. Jorgensen ◽  
Naomi Wallin ◽  
Ben Thompson ◽  
Matthew Peak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Dose ◽  
Children With Asthma ◽  
Synacthen Test ◽  
Short Synacthen Test

Early morning salivary cortisol and cortisone, and adrenal responses to a simplified low-dose short Synacthen test in children with asthma

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 376-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Blair ◽  
Gillian Lancaster ◽  
Andrew Titman ◽  
Matthew Peak ◽  
Paul Newlands ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Children With Asthma ◽  
Synacthen Test ◽  
Short Synacthen Test

Peer Review of Paediatric Endocrine Services in the UK: A Template for Quality and Service Improvement

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
John Schulga ◽  
Heather Mitchell ◽  
S. Faisal Ahmed ◽  
Assunta Albanese ◽  
Justin Warner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peer Review ◽  
National Level ◽  
Quality Of Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
British Society ◽  
Service Improvement ◽  
Paediatric Endocrinology ◽  
Test Feasibility ◽  
Specialist Nurses ◽  
The Uk

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Independent peer review of healthcare services can complement existing internal-, institutional-, and national-level regulatory mechanisms aimed at improving quality of healthcare. However, this has not been reported for paediatric endocrinology services in the UK. We aimed to test feasibility and acceptability through a first cycle of a national peer review of paediatric endocrine services. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Tertiary centres in paediatric endocrinology across the UK were assessed against 54 quality standards, developed by the British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (BSPED) in five domains of healthcare by a team comprising paediatric endocrinologists and specialist nurses. The evaluation was supported by a self-assessment. A post-peer-review questionnaire was used as feedback. <b><i>Results:</i></b> All 22 centres in the UK underwent independent peer review between 2011 and 2017. Each served a median population of 2.6 million (range 1–8 million) and offered 1,872 (range 779–6,738) outpatient consultations annually. A total of 43 (range 30–49) standards were met in combined evaluation of all centres. Variance of adherence for essential standards ranged from 52 to 97% at individual centres with 90% adherence demonstrated by 32% of centres. Post-review feedback showed 20/22 (95%) validating the utility of the peer review. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The BSPED peer review of all UK centres providing paediatric endocrine services is shown to be feasible and provides a quality benchmark for replication by national services.

scholarly journals Inhaled corticosteroids use in childhood respiratory diseases: an italian survey on pediatricians’ prescription habits

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Cerimoniale ◽  
Paolo Becherucci ◽  
Maria Carmen Verga ◽  
Giuseppe Di Mauro ◽  
Luciana Indinnimeo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Persistent Asthma ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Dose Therapy ◽  
Asthma Exacerbations ◽  
Long Term Treatment ◽  
Primary Care Pediatricians

Abstract Background A national consensus document on inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) use in childhood, produced by the main Italian pediatric scientific societies, has been recently released. The aim of this study was to gather information on the current pediatricians’ ICS prescription habits in Italy for the management of the most common pediatric respiratory diseases, namely allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma, preschool wheezing and laryngitis. Methods From the 1st October 2018 to the 31st January 2019 a link to an online questionnaire was sent monthly through a newsletter to the members of the Italian Society of Pediatrics. The questionnaire included 18 items on ICS use in the most common pediatric respiratory diseases. Data collection and reporting was based on STROBE Statement Checklist for cross-sectional studies. Results One thousand-two questionnaires were returned from primary care pediatricians (39.1%), hospital pediatricians (38.7%), private practicers (16.4%), university pediatricians (3.1%) and Pediatrics residents (2.7%). We found a good adherence to the international guidelines on AR, with prevalent use of oral antihistamine (60.6%) in the secretive phenotype and nasal ICS in the obstructive phenotype (64.8%). In asthma exacerbations ICS are not used in 53.4% of cases, but they are used at high dose in 27.9% and at low dose in 18.7% of cases. In intermittent asthma, ICS are not chosen as a daily controller therapy in 54.1% of cases, while they are chosen as a low dose daily therapy in 44.5% of cases (high dose in 1.4%). In children with persistent asthma, ICS are chosen as a daily low dose therapy in 67.4% of cases and as a daily high dose therapy in 31%. In the management of preschool wheezing, when a long-term treatment is needed, ICS are chosen both alone and in association with antileukotrienes in 71.4% of cases. Children affected by recurrent asthma exacerbations and wheezing are closely followed up, in particular by their primary care pediatricians. The preference for certain molecules in the treatment of different respiratory diseases also emerged. Conclusions Pediatricians’ ICS prescription habits in Italy should be improved, especially in the management of asthma. Future surveys on a more numerous sample will be useful to analyze differences in prescription habits on the basis of pediatricians’ work settings and geographical distribution.

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