1139. Reducing Collection of Tracheal Aspirate Bacterial Cultures: A Diagnostic Test Stewardship Intervention

Background Tracheal aspirate (TA) bacterial cultures are often collected in mechanically ventilated children to evaluate for ventilator-associated infections (VAI), including tracheitis and pneumonia. However, frequent bacterial colonization of tracheal tubes results in poor specificity of positive TA cultures for distinguishing bacterial infection from colonization, which contributes to antibiotic overuse for VAI. We performed a quality improvement project to reduce collection of TA cultures through implementation of a consensus guideline to standardize culture ordering, and measured its impact on antibiotic use in a tertiary PICU. Methods A multidisciplinary team including PICU, pulmonary, and ID clinicians developed the consensus guideline in November 2019-February 2020. The first Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle occurred in August 2020 and included provider education, providing a link to the guideline in the TA culture order, and signs and screensavers highlighting key guideline recommendations. The second PDSA cycle occurred in October-December 2020 and included weekly emails to on service PICU clinicians. Statistical process control charts were used to measure the number of TA cultures collected/100 ventilator days and broad-spectrum antibiotic DOT/100 ventilator days. The number of patients treated for VAI/100 ventilator days and guideline compliance were also measured. Results The baseline rate of TA culture collection was 4.58/100 ventilator days. A centerline shift to 3.33 cultures/100 ventilator days occurred in March 2020. Following PDSA 1 and 2 in October 2020, a second downward centerline shift to 2.22 cultures/100 ventilator days occurred (Figure 1). Broad-spectrum antibiotic days of therapy/100 ventilator days decreased in November 2019 coincident with the start of the project, but no further reductions occurred after PDSA 1 and 2 (Figure 2). The number of patients treated for VAI decreased from a baseline of 1.24/100 ventilator days to 0.66/100 ventilator days. Finally, the proportion of TA cultures ordered that were non-compliant with the guideline recommendations was unchanged throughout the study period (Table 1). Conclusion A consensus guideline reduced collection of TA cultures, with a modest reduction in the rate of antibiotic treatment for VAI. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Implementation of an adapted Sepsis Risk Calculator algorithm to reduce antibiotic usage in the management of early onset neonatal sepsis: a multicentre initiative in Wales, UK

ObjectiveAssess the impact of introducing a consensus guideline incorporating an adapted Sepsis Risk Calculator (SRC) algorithm, in the management of early onset neonatal sepsis (EONS), on antibiotic usage and patient safety.DesignMulticentre prospective studySettingTen perinatal hospitals in Wales, UK.PatientsAll live births ≥34 weeks’ gestation over a 12-month period (April 2019–March 2020) compared with infants in the preceding 15-month period (January 2018–March 2019) as a baseline.MethodsThe consensus guideline was introduced in clinical practice on 1 April 2019. It incorporated a modified SRC algorithm, enhanced in-hospital surveillance, ongoing quality assurance, standardised staff training and parent education. The main outcome measure was antibiotic usage/1000 live births, balancing this with analysis of harm from delayed diagnosis and treatment, disease severity and readmissions from true sepsis. Outcome measures were analysed using statistical process control charts.Main outcome measuresProportion of antibiotic use in infants ≥34 weeks’ gestation.Results4304 (14.3%) of the 30 105 live-born infants received antibiotics in the baseline period compared with 1917 (7.7%) of 24 749 infants in the intervention period (45.5% mean reduction). All 19 infants with culture-positive sepsis in the postimplementation phase were identified and treated appropriately. There were no increases in sepsis-related neonatal unit admissions, disease morbidity and late readmissions.ConclusionsThis multicentre study provides evidence that a judicious adaptation of the SRC incorporating enhanced surveillance can be safely introduced in the National Health Service and is effective in reducing antibiotic use for EONS without increasing morbidity and mortality.

Factors impacting the evidence-based assessment, diagnosis and management of Acute Charcot Neuroarthropathy: a systematic review

Background Acute Charcot Neuroarthropathy (CN) is a destructive condition that is characterised by acute fractures, dislocations and joint destruction in the weight-bearing foot. The acute phase is often misdiagnosed and can rapidly lead to devastating health outcomes. Early diagnosis and management of CN is imperative to attenuate progression of this condition. Consequently, timely evidence-based assessment, diagnosis and management of acute CN is imperative. Objective To identify the factors that impact the delivery of evidence-based care in assessment, diagnosis and management of people with acute CN. Method Systematic searches were conducted in four databases to identify studies in English that included factors that impact the delivery of evidence-based care in the assessment, diagnosis and management of people with acute CN. Articles and consensus/guideline documents were assessed for inclusion by the researchers and disagreements were resolved through consensus. Additionally backward citation searching was used to source other potentially relevant documents. Information relevant to the research question was extracted and thematic analyses were performed using qualitative synthesis. Results Thirty-two articles and four additional consensus/guideline documents were included for data extraction and analyses. Information related to the research question was of expert opinion using the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Levels of Evidence guidelines. Themes explaining practices that deviated from evidence-based care in assessment, diagnosis and management of acute CN centred around patient, health professional and health organisation/environmental. Delay to diagnosis is particularly influenced by the patient’s knowledge of when to seek help, practitioner knowledge in knowing how to recognise and refer for appropriate immediate care, confusion in imaging and offloading and geographical and local health service resources to appropriately manage the condition. Conclusion Individual and health professional awareness and geographical barriers are key challenges to the effective delivery of evidence-based assessment, diagnosis and management of people with acute CN. Acute CN represents a medical emergency warranting the need for expedited assessment, diagnosis and management by appropriately trained health professionals in the appropriate.