Study Title: Laboratory observational Ex-Vivo study to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of a smart dressing to detect clinically relevant wound infection.

This study focusses on identifying infection in burn wounds. As the skin's protective barrier is lost following a burn injury, it is vulnerable to infection. This is one of our key research priorities.

Burn wound infections can be difficult to diagnose in children, as the symptoms such as fever, vomiting and rash are shared with other common childhood illnesses. Children with burn wound infection can become seriously ill if treatment with antibiotics is not started quickly.

On the other hand, if children have symptoms such as fever or a rash this could be due to another cause such as a cold virus, teething etc which do not need to be treated with antibiotics.                                                                                                  

The Centre is working with the University of Bath to develop and test their new dressing prototype.

From 2016-2018 we collected samples from used burn dressings to test the Smartwound™ dressing's response in the laboratory. The aim was to find out if the dressing correctly identified the patients with infection by changing colour and stayed 'turned off' for those without infection.

We are currently in the data processing phase.

The next phase aims to test the prototype Smartwound™ dressing on healthy volunteers who have suffered a burn injury and are requiring dressings for healing.

Smartwound

Scientists explore alternative to antibiotics

Colour-changing burns dressing will help fight against antibiotic resistance

 

Study Title: Core Outcome Sets for Burn Care Research.

There are different ways to treat patients after a burn injury. Doctors need to test whether new treatments are better than older treatments. To do this we need to measure how well patients recover with different care. People with burns have different experiences during their recovery. This could include issues such as the side effects of treatment including scarring, pain or itching or quality of life. Currently researchers are using different endpoints of recovery to assess new treatments. The aim of the study is to find out which recovery issues or outcomes are most important to patients. The results of this study will enable a Core Set of Outcomes to be identified and agreed. These will then be reported consistently in all future burn research studies.

Patients are sent two questionnaires by post or email following their burn injury, and asked to rate how important each issue or outcome is. If there are any issues not covered by the questionnaire, patients are asked to add comments. After the questionnaires have been analysed, patients are also invited to a group meeting along with NHS staff to discuss the final core set of outcomes.

This research is being funded by the National Institute for Health Research, led by Dr Amber Young and run by the University of Bristol.

Twitter: @COSBresearch Email: COSBresearch@gmail.com

 

 

	MISTIC A prospective multi-centre trial looking at the incidence and cause of post burn illness in children with small scalds. This study required parents of children under 5 years of age, who had suffered a small burn to complete a questionnaire and record their temperature for 7 days post injury. Data was collected about how the child recovered from the burn injury and if they had experienced any episodes of fever during this time. Find out more here.
	SILKIE This study exploredthe use of a low friction bed sheets to reduce skin graft loss after burn injury. This study was funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and trialled the use of low friction sheets in patients who had received a skin graft following a burn injury. The study compared the use of these sheets with standard hospital bedding in terms of skin graft success, practicality of using sheets in a hospital environment and costs. Find out more here.
	DRESSVOCs This study investigated volatile organic compounds VOCs (gases) emitted from discarded burns dressings, as a means of detecting infection at the bedside.  This study has the ultimate aim to develop a smelling device that can be used at the bedside to detect the gases that are produced by bacteria when the burn wound is infected. The study is being carried out by researchers at the University of the West of England (UWE).
	A road less travelled This nurse led study was funded by Roald Dahl's Marvellous Nurses Inventing Room Charity. The research nurses interviewed parents of burn injured children and professionals from the burn care team about their experiences. The study mapped the psychological and emotional journey following significant burn injury, to assess patient/family needs, current support and areas for service improvement. A short film was produced, to educate health professionals and inform practice. Several service improvement projects are in progress as a result of this study.
	PSYBIS This study looked at the experience of burn itch and the ways in which it affects the lives of children and their families. Different types of interventions were reviewed to determine which were the most helpful. The results will be used to improve patient care in the future. Parents were interviewed in person or by phone and were asked to rate the frequency, severity and impact of the burn itch, using simple numerical scales. Children of 8 years and above were interviewed in person and asked similar questions about their experience. Results of the study will be disseminated to healthcare staff and parents via reports in medical journals, newsletters and presentations at conferences.

2018

Hollén, L., Greenwood, R., Kandiyali, R., Ingram, J., Foy, C., George, S., Mulligan, S., Spickett-Jones, F., Booth, S., Sack, A., Emond, A., Dunn, K., Young, A.,  The SILKIE (Skin graftIng Low friKtIon Environment) study: a nonrandomised proof-of-concept and feasibility study on the impact of low-friction nursing environment on skin grafting success rates in adult and paediatric burns.BMJ Open2018. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021886

Hollén, L., Hughes, R., Dodds, N., Coy, K., Marlow, K., Pullan, N., Davies, J., Dailami, N., Keating,K., Falder, S., Shah, M., Young, A. Use of procalcitonin as a biomarker for sepsis in moderate to major paediatric burns.Trauma, 2018; doi:10.1177/1460408618760940

Whale, K., Ingram, J.C., George, S., Spickett-Jones, F., Sack, A., Young, A.E., Exploring the acceptability of using low-friction bedding for patients with burns: Qualitative results from the SILKIE study.Burns2018. (44)1251-1258; doi:10.1016/j.burns.2018.03.017

2017

Hollén, L., Coy, K., Day, A., Young, A., Resuscitation using less fluid does not have a negative impact on hydration status in children with moderate sized scalds: a prospective single-centre UK study.Burns, 2017. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2017.04.011

Ikpeme, M., Emond, A., Mytton, J. and Hollén, L., G143(P) Ethnic inequalities in paediatric burns: Findings from a systematic review and analyses of hospital episodes statistics data from 2009 to 2015. Archives of Disease in Childhood2017;102:A59.

Johnson, E., Maguire, S., Hollén, L., Nuttall, D., Rea, D., Kemp, A. Agents, mechanisms and clinical features of non-scald burns in children: A prospective UK study.Burns, 2017. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2017.01.036.

Kandiyali, R., Sarginson, J., Hollén, L., Spickett-Jones, F., Young, A. The management of small area burns and unexpected post-burn illness in children under five years of age - a costing study in the English healthcare setting.Burns, 2017. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2017.06.005

Slade, E., Thorn, R., Lovering, A., Young, A. and Reynolds, D., In-vitro discrimination of wound associated bacteria by volatile compound profiling using Selected Ion Flow Tube - Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2017. doi:10.1111/jam.13473

Young, A., Agreement on what to measure in randomised controlled trials in burn care: study protocol for the development of a Core Outcome Set.BMJ Open, 2017. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017267

2016

Davies, A., Spickett-Jones, F., Brock, P., Coy, K. and Young, A., Variations in guideline use and practice relating to diagnosis and management of infection in paediatric burns services in England and Wales: a national survey.Burns,2016. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.07.032

Emond, A., Sheahan, C., Mytton, J. and Hollén, L. Developmental and behavioural associations of burns and scalds in children - a prospective population-based study.Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2016. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2016-311644

Griffiths. C., Guest, E., White P., Gaskin E, Rumsey N, Pleat J & Harcourt D.  A systematic review of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) used in adult burn research. Journal of Burn Care & Research, 2016. doi:10.1097/BCR.0000000000000474

Griffiths, C., How are parents affected when their child has an appearance-altering injury?.Journal of Aesthetic Nursing, 2016; 5(2):79-81. doi: 10.12968/joan.2016.5.2.79

Lawrence, J., Qadri, A., Cadogan, J. and Harcourt, D., A survey of burn professionals regarding the mental health services available to burn survivors in the United States and United Kingdom. Burns, 2016. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.01.021

Trevatt, A., Kirkham, E., Allix, B., Greenwood, R., Coy, K., Hollén, L. and Young, A., Lack of a standardised UK care pathway resulting in national variations in management and outcomes of paediatric small area scalds.Burns,2016;42(6):1241-56. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.04.001

Varley, A., Sarginson, J., Young, A.,Evidence-based first aid advice for paediatric burns in the United Kingdom.Burns, 2016; 42.3:571-577. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2015.10.029

2015

Griffiths, C., Rumsey, N., Armstrong-James, L., White, P., Pleat, J. and Harcourt, D., Systematic review of patient reported outcome measures used in child and adolescent burn research, Burns, 2015; 41,2; 212-224. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2014.07.018

Pomeroy, S., Treating burn wound infections in children. Nursing in Practice, 2015. Available from http://www.nursinginpractice.com/article/treating-burn-wound-infections-children

Sarginson, J., Young, A., Advances in burns treatment. In Maconochie I, editor. Recent advances in paediatrics, 2015;26th ed. JP Medical Ltd

Thet, N., Alves, D., Bean, J., Booth, S., Nzakizwanayo, J., Young, A., Jones, B. and Jenkins, T., Prototype Development of the Intelligent Hydrogel Wound Dressing and Its Efficacy in the Detection of Model Pathogenic Wound Biofilms.ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2015. doi:10.1021/acsami.5b07372

Warwicker, S., Lobo, C., Daliami, N. and Young, A., The safety of general anaesthesia in paediatric patients undergoing the application of Biobrane® for small scalds.Burns, 2015. doi: 10.1016/j.burns.2015.02.007

2014

Alves, D., Gaudion, A., Bean, J., Perez Esteban, P., Arnot, T., Harper, D., Kot, W., Hansen, L., Enright, M. and Jenkins, T., Combined use of bacteriophage to reduce staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation.Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2014. doi:10.1128/AEM.01789-14

Bean, J., Alves, D., Laabei, M., Esteban, P., Tun Thet, N., Enright, M. and Jenkins, T., Triggered release of bacteriophage K from agarose/hyaluronan hydrogel matrixes by staphylococcus aureus virulence factors. Chemistry of Materials, 2014. doi:10.1021/cm503974g

Laabei, M., Jamieson, W., Yang, Y., Elsen, J. and Jenkins, T., Investigating the lytic activity and structural properties of Staphylococcus aureus phenol soluble modulin (PSM) peptide toxins. BBA Biomembranes, 2014. doi:10.1016/J.BBAMEM.2014.08.026

Perez Esteban, P., Alves, D., Enright, M., Bean, J., Gaudion, A., Jenkins, T., Young, A. and Arnot, T., Enhancement of the antimicrobial properties of bacteriophage-K via stabilization using oil-in-water nano-emulsions. Biotechnology Progress, 2014. doi:10.1002/btpr.1898

Walker, T., Urriza Rodriguez, D., Coy, K., Hollén, L., Greenwood, R. and Young, A., Impact of reduced resuscitation fluid on outcomes of children with 10-20% body surface area scalds. Burns, 2014. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2014.02.013

2013

Marshall, S., Hong, S. and Thet, N., Effect of Lipid and Fatty Acid Composition of Phospholipid Vesicles on Long-Term Stability and Their Response to Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Supernatants.Langmuir, 2013;29:6989-6995. doi:10.1021/la401679u

Marshall, S., Jenkins, T. and Al-Bataineh, S., Studying the cytolytic activity of gas plasma with self-signalling phospholipid vesicles dispersed within a gelatin matrix. Journal of Applied Physics, 2013;46;Article Number:185401. doi:10.1088/0022-3727/46/18/185401

Sarginson, J., Estela, C. and Pomeroy, S., 155 burns caused by hair straighteners in children: A single centre's experience over 5 years.Burns, 2013. doi: 10.1016/j.burns.2013.09.025

Thet, N., Hong, S., Marshall, S., Laabei, M. and Jenkins, A., Visible, colorimetric dissemination between pathogenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using fluorescent dye containing lipid vesicles.Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2013;47:574 doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2012.09.019

2012

Laabei, M., Young, A. and Jenkins, T., In-vitro studies of Toxic Shock Toxin-1 secreting Staphylococcus aureus and implications for burn care in children.Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 2012;31(5):e73-7. doi:10.1097/INF.0b013e3182493b21

Zhou, J., Thet, N., Hong, S., Mercer-Chalmers, J., Laabei, M., Young,  A., Jenkins, A., Development of a prototype wound dressing technology which can detect and report colonization by pathogenic bacteria,Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2011. doi:10.1016/j.bios.2011.08.028