SWARM ICU

SWARM ICU is our first multi-centre intensive care project. It is a prospective, observational service evaluation investigating the incidence of Early Onset Pneumonia in patients admitted to ICU post cardiac arrest and its management.

Early Onset Pneumonia (EOP) is defined as that developing within the first 72 hours following return of spontaneous circulation. Previous studies suggest that Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia (MTH) may increase the incidence of infection. The use of prophylactic antibiotics to prevent EOP is not routine but observational data suggest a potential mortality benefit. With recent evidence suggesting that MTH is no better than temperature control at 36C, this project hopes to ascertain:

  • The incidence of EOP and whether it is less frequent in patients not managed with MTH

  • Outcome correlations with EOP

  • The incidence of prophylactic antibiotic use in our deanery

This project will run for 6 months initially. Our friends at STAR (Severn Trainees Anaesthetic Research group) will hopefully role out this project in their deanery. If any other trainee-led research group would like to take-up SWARM ICU, please email sw.arm@nhs.net.

Presentations

National

ICS State of the Art meeting, 8-9th December 2014, Dr Emily Howells

Regional

Early onset pneumonia post cardiac arrest in the era of normothermia: an interim analysis. SWARM ICU.
South Devon Intensive Therapy conference, June 2014, Dr Thomas Clark.

Regional Trust Project Lead

Dr Thomas Clark, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter

Local Trust Project Leads

Dr Charly Gibson, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth

Dr Saibul Ganguly, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro

Dr Thomas Clark, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter

Dr Emily Howells, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter

Dr Olivia Gokhale, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton

Dr Andrew Biffen, Torbay Hospital, Torquay

Dr Dominic Smith, Torbay Hospital, Torquay

Dr Catherine Dore, North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple

Local Trust Project Contributors

Derriford Hospital, Plymouth: Dr Sarah Droog, Dr Louise Schonborn, Dr Rebecca Matthews, Dr Theresa Hinde

Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter: Dr Adam Revill, Dr David Hutchins

Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton: Dr Harriet Gardiner, Dr Rachael Goddard

Torbay Hospital, Torquay: Dr Martin Dore, Dr Gillian Barnett

Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro: Dr Kathleen Mulcahy

2014