King's College London

Aims

To advance research, innovation and education across paediatric intensive care through re-evaluating current therapies and study of new technology. Paediatric intensive care therapies are often delivered based on consensus rather than evidence. We aim to re-evaluate the therapies that are delivered within intensive care. This theme aims to improve delivery of intensive care across multiple areas: respiratory, renal & fluid therapy, neurology and haematology.

Focus Areas

• Respiratory Research evaluating the use of NAVA (neutrally-adjusted ventilation assist), a technology that aims to improve comfort of ventilated patient and potentially reduce ventilation time.
• Renal, Fluid Therapy and Feeding Leading national multicentre randomised control trial studying whether reduced fluids and increased fluid removal improves clinical outcomes across PIC patients. Ongoing research on diabetes ketoacidosis and fluids. Research looking at fibre feeds.
• Neurology Improve wellbeing and outcomes of critical care patients through studying sedation and neurological, psychological and physical outcomes related to this.
• Haematology Evaluation of new technologies to evaluate and treat bleeding and thrombosis of children post-cardiac surgery.

Leadership

• Angela Aramburo, Chief Investigator for national multicentre randomised controlled trial studying fluids. NIHR funded study. (Publications on fluids, ECMO)

Theme Membership and Internal collaborators

• Ben Crulli, Evelina PICU consultant, KCL honorary lecturer. (Publications on Ventilation)
• Andrew Nyman, Lead for airway service at Evelina London, KCL honorary lecturer (Publications on ECMO, airway and bronchoscopy, NAVA).
• Marilyn McDougall, Evelina clinical director for cardio-respiratory intensive care , KCL honorary lecturer. Lead for national study on DKA (Publications on DKA, retrieval medicine).
• Geoff Burnhill, Evelina PICU consultant, (Publications on Ventilation, ECMO, DKA)
• Paul Wellman, lead research nurse for Evelina paediatric critical care. Applied for a KHP Grant to undertake Scoping Review, national survey, PPI work and Systematic Review over next 2 years to build the protocol for a future trial examining the use of fibre in feeds in our paediatric critical care population.
• Jon Lillie, Evelina London ECMO lead, KCL honorary lecturer. Part of national study group looking at DKA. (Publications on ECMO, ARDS, Ventilation, PIMS-TS, DKA)
• Nick Fordham, paediatric haematology consultant looking at thrombosis and markers of coagulation in infants.