Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40233985›Full record

ArticleBMJ open quality2025

Improving ototoxicity monitoring in patients receiving aminoglycosides using a novel digital approach: a quality improvement project.

Jamie Cheong, Shereen Boreland, Elaine Shattock, Elaine Bowman, Barbara Belkarty, Andrew Jones, Imogen Felton, Emem-Fong Ukor, Janet Stowell, Ricardo J Jose and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open quality, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Guideline
  2. Review
  3. Article
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

18 authors.

Jamie CheongRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK jcheong@ic.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4299-101X
Shereen BorelandRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Elaine ShattockRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Elaine BowmanRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Barbara BelkartyRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Andrew JonesRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Imogen FeltonRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Emem-Fong UkorRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Janet StowellRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Ricardo J JoseRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Su MadgeRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Julie WilkinsImperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
Emily FrostImperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
Presanna PremachandraGuy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Michael LoebingerRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Nicholas J SimmondsRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Francis DrobniewskiImperial College London, London, UK.
Anand ShahRoyal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aminoglycoside antibiotics cause ototoxicity for which baseline audiometric testing is recommended but often not done. Barriers to successful implementation include limited availability of sound-booths and audiologists. An ototoxicity monitoring programme (OMP) was implemented using tablet-based audiometry (TBA) by non-audiologists.A quality improvement project conducted over 1 year (19 April 2021 to 18 April 2022), using Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycles, monitored the adherence to the OMP using Shoebox Standard Edition application on iPads. Barriers to adoption were identified to determine potential solutions for improved adherence. Adult respiratory patients (cystic fibrosis (CF), bronchiectasis, non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) infection) aged 17-82 years receiving >1 day of intravenous aminoglycosides (IVAGs) at a single tertiary-referral hospital were included. Other reported outcomes were patient characteristics, risk factors associated with abnormal hearing and ototoxic shift.73 patients were tested in the OMP (46 received ≥2 hearing tests) giving an overall adherence rate of 69% after 12 months. Patient identification using referral and reporting systems initially improved adherence from 36% to 88% (p=0.03) during PDSA 1. Barriers to successful adherence were staff availability and COVID-19 infection outbreaks (p=0.057). Older age (p<0.001), higher Body Mass Index (p=0.041), non-CF bronchiectasis (p=0.01), non-CF NTM (p=0.028) and higher Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults scores (p=0.002) were significantly associated with abnormal baseline hearing. 78% with hearing loss were asymptomatic. Ototoxic shift was associated with gentamicin use compared to amikacin/tobramycin (p=0.027). TBA was associated with high usability in patients ≤50 years old.TBA by non-audiologists was feasible and demonstrated good patient usability, permitting screening of patients within 72 hours of starting IVAG and earlier referrals for formal audiometry. Hearing loss and ototoxicity were detected at earlier stages, enabling more rapid decision-making and treatment modification.

Indexed as

AminoglycosidesAnti-Bacterial AgentsOtotoxicityQuality ImprovementAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAudiometryFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultAminoglycosidesAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntibiotic managementMobile ApplicationsPDSAPharmacistsQuality improvement

Identifiers

PMID40233985
PMCPMC12001346

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

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.