Our Emergency Department (ED) in the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary supports several research studies. One of them is called ABC Sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the when the body overreacts to an infection and starts attacking itself. Other names for sepsis are septicaemia or blood poisoning.
The ABC Sepsis study is coordinated by the University of Edinburgh. It compares two different intravenous* fluids in the initial resuscitation** of patients with suspected sepsis: Human Albumin Solution (HAS) and a balanced crystalloid solution. This is a randomised trial that aims to evaluate which is the better fluid for the early management of these patients.
The work of our ED research team has been acknowledged and praised by the trial coordinating centre. They have been Top Recruiter for 3 of the 12 months over which the study has been running. Well done!
Locally the study is led by Dr Jamie Cooper. He told us why the study is important: ‘Sepsis is a disease that can appear with frightening speed and have devastating consequences. We need to evaluate every aspect of management of this condition to improve outcomes. We are pleased to participate in this work, which will hopefully determine this aspect of management going forward.’
Sepsis is life-threatening, if you think someone has sepsis call 999 or bring them to the nearest A&E. You can find out more about sepsis on the NHS website Symptoms of sepsis - NHS (www.nhs.uk).
*INTRAVENOUS | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary: put directly into a vein (= one of the tubes in the body that carry blood to the heart)
**RESUSCITATION | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary: the act of bringing someone or something back to life or waking them