Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39353711›Full record

Observational studyBMJ paediatrics open2024

Multicentre external validation of the Neonatal Healthcare-associated infectiOn Prediction (NeoHoP) score: a retrospective case-control study.

Lizel G Lloyd, Angela Dramowski, Adrie Bekker, Daynia Elizabeth Ballot, Cecilia Ferreyra, Birgitta Gleeson, Trusha Nana, Michael Sharland, Sithembiso Christopher Velaphi, Jeannette Wadula and 2 more

Abstract readMulticenter StudyValidation StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ paediatrics open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Lizel G LloydFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5236-0778
Angela DramowskiFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
Adrie BekkerFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
Daynia Elizabeth BallotFaculty of Health Sciences, Paediatrics and Child Health, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4985-048X
Cecilia FerreyraFoundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, FIND, Geneva, Genève, Switzerland.
Birgitta GleesonFoundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, FIND, Geneva, Genève, Switzerland.
Trusha NanaFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
Michael SharlandPaediatric Infectious Diseases Research Group, St George's University of London, London, London, UK.
Sithembiso Christopher VelaphiFaculty of Health Sciences, Paediatrics and Child Health, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
Jeannette WadulaFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
Andrew WhitelawFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Pathology; Division of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
Mirjam Maria van WeissenbruchDepartment of Pediatrics, Division IC Neonatology (NICU), Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands m.vanweissenbruch@amsterdamumc.nl.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesNeonatal mortality due to severe bacterial infections is a pressing global issue, especially in low-middle-income countries (LMICs) with constrained healthcare resources. This study aims to validate the Neonatal Healthcare-associated infectiOn Prediction (NeoHoP) score, designed for LMICs, across diverse neonatal populations.

methodsProspective data from three South African neonatal units in the Neonatal Sepsis Observational (NeoOBS) study were analysed. The NeoHoP score, initially developed and validated internally in a South African hospital, was assessed using an external cohort of 573 sepsis episodes in 346 infants, focusing on different birth weight categories. Diagnostic metrics were evaluated, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

resultsThe external validation cohort displayed higher median birth weight and gestational age compared with the internal validation cohort. A significant proportion were born before reaching healthcare facilities, resulting in increased sepsis evaluation, and diagnosed healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Gram-negative infections predominated, with fungal infections more common in the external validation cohort.The NeoHoP score demonstrated robust diagnostic performance, with 92% specificity, 65% sensitivity and a positive likelihood ratio of 7.73. Subgroup analysis for very low birth weight infants produced similar results. The score's generalisability across diverse neonatal populations was evident, showing comparable performance across different birth weight categories.

conclusionThis multicentre validation confirms the NeoHoP score as a reliable 'rule-in' test for HAI in neonates, regardless of birth weight. Its potential as a valuable diagnostic tool in LMIC neonatal units addresses a critical gap in neonatal care in low-resource settings.

Indexed as

Cross InfectionBirth WeightCase-Control StudiesFemaleGestational AgeHumansInfant MortalityInfant, NewbornIntensive Care Units, NeonatalMaleNeonatal SepsisPredictive Value of TestsRetrospective StudiesROC CurveSensitivity and SpecificitySouth Africaneonatology

Identifiers

PMID39353711
PMCPMC11448137

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.