Free talk by Dr Jan Verbakel, GP & Visiting Fellow, University of Oxford
Acute infection is the most common presentation of children to ambulatory care. In contrast, serious infections are rare and often present at an early stage. Early recognition is important to avoid complications and death. Point-of-care (POC) tests might be useful, providing an immediate result at bedside. The most probable candidate is C-reactive protein (CRP).
We explored the added value of a fingerstick POC CRP to a 4-step decision tree in a multi-center prospective study in three different ambulatory care settings in Flanders (Belgium): general practice, outpatient paediatric clinic, and the emergency department.
Although the research questions were straightforward, the execution of this study was not. We coped with 99 problems, but the fingerstick wasn’t one.
This talk is free and there is no need to book.