SICS EBM group

 

September 2002 Newsletter

 

Dear all,

 

It’s now almost a year since the conception of the SICS EBM group. Now is probably a good time to bring you all up-to-date with the current state of play.

 

There are still three sub-groups currently investigating their particular areas of interest:

 

            ARDS                              B Cuthbertson

            Sepsis                              M Daniel

            Gastric protection            T Walsh

 

These were the areas of need identified during our first meeting last year. All groups are at varying stages in the EBM process. I think it is fair to say it has taken longer than expected to do a comprehensive job. I, for my part, have been giving Tim Walsh a hand and working on the information dissemination process. You will see from what follows that there will be ‘opportunities’ for those who haven’t cut their teeth on an EBM topic to get actively involved in the near future.

 

I am conscious that there seems to have been little to show for all the hard work that has been going on but I guess this will improve once the ball is a bit bigger and rolling a bit faster.

 

The groups will be presenting their work at a meeting in Stirling on the 6^th January 2003, which I hope you will all be able to attend. This will bring all the EBM group members up to speed on progress and significant findings. The meeting will also provide the opportunity for you to participate in guideline generation. The prototype of the SICS EBMG website, which will be the main vehicle of information dissemination, will be unveiled! We will also have the opportunity to discuss the future topics, funding etc

 

Our hope is that the SICS will help fund the meeting so we can widen the invitations to the whole SICS membership. This should lead to a wider discussion and it never hurts to try a bit of marketing and recruiting!

 

As a pre-emptive measure (to gain momentum) we would welcome suggestions for future areas of interest ahead of the January meeting. Topics already put forward are;

 

1)                  Tight glucose control (Kevin Rooney has already agreed to take this on)

2)                  Nutrition (Gill Harris has already agreed to take this on but it is a massive area and I’m sure she would welcome any offers of help)

3)                  Influence of nigh/ day & planned/unplanned discharge on outcome

4)                  Influence of staffing and structure on outcome (intensivist vs non-intensivist, week on vs day on etc)

5)                  Renal replacement strategies

6)                  SAH

7)                  Hypothermia (HI and post cardiac arrest)

 

I would welcome volunteers to take on any of these subjects or suggestions of other topics. Perhaps it may be more efficient to look at peoples own areas of interest where the bulk of the work has been done already.

 

I shall send specific details of the meeting in January nearer the time. At the moment just keep the date free.

 

If any of you with further information regarding any aspect of the EBM group or the meeting in January then please do not hesitate to contact me at Chris.Cairns@btinternet.com

 

 

Regards

 

 

Chris Cairns

(On behalf of the EBM steering group)