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R Mitchison

Publications and source records attributed to R Mitchison.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1981

Changing blood culture isolates in a referral neonatal intensive care unit.

An analysis was made of all cases of bacteraemia that had occurred in the referral neonatal intensive care unit at Hammersmith Hospital during the years 1976--79. One hundred and thirteen infants had positive blood cultures; 27 were born in the hospital, and 86 admitted from elsewhere. This gave a rate of 5.7/1000 live hospital births, and 165/1000 outborn admissions to the unit. The latter infants were predominantly of very low birthweight or were ill. Thirty-three of the isolates were cultured in the first 48 hours of life (early) and the remaining 80 after that time (later). Staphylococcus epidermidis was the organism most often isolated both early and later. These results were different from those recorded in the previous 9 years (1967--75) from the same unit. Then, group B beta-haemolytic streptococcus was the organism most often isolated early, while Gram-negative bacteria predominated among later isolates. The changing nature of care may contribute to these findings.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1978

A computer-assisted bacteriology reporting and information system.

A computer system for reporting and recording all specimens processed by the routine bacteriology laboratory at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School is described. Features of interest are the method of input using a mixture of 3-character alphanumeric codes and numbers, cumulative reporting to the wards, and selective listing of relevant previous results for the patient, which is available to technical and supervisory staff during processing of the specimen. The relative value to the wards and the laboratory of each type of information transfer has been assessed. Overall the use of a computer has resulted in higher quality bench work and more accurate reporting. It seems little more expensive than a previous manual system, although it has transferred work from the technical to the clerical staff.

Bacteriology↗
PubMed1977

Early neonatal bacteraemia. Comparison of group B streptococcal, other Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections.

All cases of neonatal bacteraemia associated with clinical illness occurring at Hammersmith Hospital, over a 9-year period, 1967-1975 inclusive, have been reviewed. The infants studied were those born in the hospital's maternity unit and those admitted from other hospitals from a wide area round London who were ill or of low birthweight. Positive blood cultures occurred in 91 infants, 47 of them in the first 48 hours of life. These 47 infants were analysed separately and divided into three groups, 13 with group B streptococcal infections, 11 with other Gram-positive infections, and 23 with Gram-negative infections. There were no significant differences in birthweight or gestation, in mortality, in incidence of clinically diagnosed respiratory distress syndrome or recurrent apnoea, or in the need for mechanical ventilation between the three groups. The age at which a diagnosis of infection was suspected, and the age at death were both significantly earlier in the group infected with group B streptococcus than in those obtained with other organisms (P less than 0-01 for both comparisons). There were no significant differences in the incidence of hyaline membrane formation or pneumonia seen at necropsy among the three groups. In some of the earliest deaths in the Gram-negative bacteraemic group, Gram-negative rods comprised the bulk of the hyaline membrane as did cocci in the group B streptoccal group.

Age Factors↗