04/01/2017
Interested in helping to design a study looking at the treatment of critically ill children with fever due to infection?
Status: Open to volunteers
A fever (high temperature) is a normal response by the body to infection. Various methods are currently used by parents, doctors and nurses to reduce fever in children, including using drugs, such as paracetamol, and/or physical cooling methods, such as a cooling mat or sponging the child with water. These are known as “antipyretic interventions”. We hope to improve the outcome for these children by refining one part of this treatment package, namely by exploring what is the best temperature at which to start treating a fever in critically ill children.
We are designing a clinical trial (called FEVER) to find out whether treating critically ill children for fever at a higher temperature (e.g. ≥40.0oC) than usual (≥37.5oC) improves outcomes for children.
We would like to interview about 25 parents/legal representatives whose children have been admitted to hospital with a fever and suspected infection in the last three years.
During interviews, we will review and explore:
• acceptability of the proposed FEVER Trial;
• potential barriers to recruitment and potential solutions;
• participant and parent information (including participant information sheets, leaflets and posters);
• decision-making and research without prior consent (deferred consent); and
• potential patient-centred outcome measures (e.g. what outcomes would be important to parents of children with a fever due to infection?).
By speaking to parents/legal representatives, we hope to find out whether the trial is possible and, if so, how it should be done.
If you would like to find out more or register your interest in taking part in the study, please contact:
Dr Beth Deja
Email: bdeja1@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr Kerry Woolfall
Email: K.Woolfall@liverpool.ac.uk
Telephone: 0151 794 4634
This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) – Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme
