Management and Outcomes of Congenital Anomalies in Low-, Middle- and High-Income Countries

King's College London3,850 enrolled

Overview

This study is a multi-centre, international, prospective cohort study of congenital anomalies to compare outcomes between LMICs and high-income countries (HICs) globally.

Background: Congenital anomalies have risen to become the 5th leading cause of death in children under 5-years of age globally, yet limited literature exists, particularly from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where most of these deaths occur. Aim: To undertake a multi-centre prospective cohort study of congenital anomalies to compare outcomes between LMICs and high-income countries (HICs) globally. Methods: The Global PaedSurg Research Collaboration will be established consisting of children's surgical care providers from around the world to participate in the study; collaborators will be co-authors of resulting presentations and publication(s). Data will be collected on patients presenting primarily with seven congenital anomalies (oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation and Hirschsprung's disease) for a minimum of one month between Oct 2018 - April 2019. Anonymous data will be collected on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions and outcome. Data will be captured using the secure, online data collection tool REDCap. The primary outcome will be all-cause in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcomes will be occurrence of post-operative complications. Chi-squared analysis will be used to compare mortality between LMICs and HICs. Multilevel, multivariate logistic regression analysis will be undertaken to identify patient level and hospital level factors affecting outcomes with adjustment for confounding factors. P\<0.05 will be deemed significant. Study approval will be sought from all participating centres. Funding has been granted by the Wellcome Trust. Outcomes: The study aims to be the first large-scale, geographically comprehensive, multi-centre prospective cohort study of a selection of common congenital anomalies to define current management and outcomes globally. Results will be used to aid advocacy and global health prioritisation and inform future interventional studies aimed at improving outcomes.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

3,850

Conditions

Oesophageal Atresia Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Intestinal Atresia Gastroschisis Exomphalos Anorectal Malformation Hirschsprung Disease

Interventions

Comparisons will be made between LMICs and HICsOTHER

Countries will be defined as low, middle or high-income using the World Bank classification.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMax age: 16 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Any neonate, infant or child under the age of 16-years, presenting for the first time, with one of the study conditions can be included in the study. * Children who have NOT previously received any surgery for their condition. * Children who have received basic resuscitative and supportive care for their condition at a different healthcare facility and then been transferred to the study centre. * Patients presenting primarily with one of the study conditions who receive palliative care or no care must be included within the study to reflect true outcomes. Exclusion Criteria: * Any neonate, infant or child with one of the study conditions who has previously received surgery (including a stoma) for their condition * If they have recently received surgery for their condition, were discharged and then represented with a complication of the surgery during the study period they should NOT be included in the study.

Locations (1)

King's College London

London, United Kingdom

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

All-cause, in-hospital mortality

This will include all patients in the study, both those who did not receive an intervention and those that did. For patient's hospitalised for over 30-days following primary intervention, a 30-day post-primary intervention mortality rate will be utilised. For patients who do not receive a primary intervention (conservative generic ward care only) but remain alive and hospitalised at 30-days following primary admission will have this time point used for recording their mortality status for the primary outcome.

Time frame: Mortality whilst in hospital during primary admission, up to a maximum of 30-days following primary intervention or 30-days following presentation for those who do not receive an intervention and are still in hospital.

Secondary Outcomes

Surgical site-infection

This is defined by the Centre for Disease Control as including one or more of the following within 30-days of surgery: 1\) purulent drainage from the superficial or deep (fascia or muscle) incision, but not within the organ/ space component of the surgical site OR 2) at least two of: pain or tenderness; localised swelling; redness; heat; fever; AND the incision is opened deliberately to manage infection, spontaneously dehisces or the clinician diagnoses a SSI (negative culture swab excludes this criterion) OR 3) there is an abscess within the wound (clinically or radiologically detected).

Time frame: Occurring within 30-days of primary intervention

Wound dehiscence

All layers of the wound open post-operatively

Time frame: Occurring within 30-days of primary intervention

Need for re-intervention

Need for a second unplanned intervention within 30-days of the primary intervention.

Time frame: Occurring within 30-days of primary intervention

Condition specific complications

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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