About

Background

Patients deteriorate over time but severity is probably not linearly related to the duration of illness.  Instead, the characteristics of severity most likely change with time. For example, in comparison to early sepsis, established sepsis has a different immunology, pathophysiology, and probably a different response to treatment.  The objective of SPOT(light) is to evaluate the impact of duration of illness on severity and outcome.

Data Collection

SPOT(light) is simple.  It is a prospective observational study using routine data already collected (vital signs, basic laboratory parameters, and basic treatments).  We will provide a secure web portal for data entry which can be used in ‘realtime’, or after admission to critical care.  Patient data will be matched to  the data in ICNARC’s Case Mix Programme Database (CMPD), and at the same time to the NHS Information Centre for 90 day survival.

What are the benefits?

  1. You will be part of a Wellcome Trust and ICNARC supported multi-centre prospective study.
  2. Data entered on the web portal can be downloaded for local audit purposes.
  3. An individual end of study report will feedback the linked data to each participating team describing the severity of illness and 90 day survival of study patients in their hospital.
  4. You will be able to compare your study patient’s severity and outcomes to those in other (anonymised) teams.
  5. The web portal can also be used to enter the National Outreach Forum’s (NOrF) monthly quality indicators.

Units & Patients

  • 50 critical care units
  • 9000 patients

Adult patients admitted to Critical Care Units participating in the ICNARC Case Mix Programme who have been assessed at any time on a ward prior to ICU admission by a critical care decision maker.  This means either a Critical Care Outreach Team (or) any member of the medical staff on duty for the unit.

SPOT(light) Team

Chief Investigator

  • Steve Harris (ICNARC / LSHTM)

Co-investigators

  • Professor Kathy Rowan (ICNARC)
  • Dr Colin Sanderson (LSHTM)
  • Professor Mervyn Singer (UCL)

Study Team (ICNARC)

  • Sheila Harvey (Research Associate)
  • Emma Walmsley (Research Administrator)

Progress & Funding

  • Currently recruiting Outreach Teams & Units
  • Ethics approved (REC Number 10/H0306/19)
  • Local SSI  R&D applications ongoing
  • NIHR portfolio application (in progress)
  • Wellcome RTF Grant 088613/Z/09/Z
  • Dataset training days 7 & 13 July 2010

Next steps

Contact Steve Harris (Chief Investigator) via spot@icnarc.org