Meningitis, MeningococcalPICNCT03378258
Petechiae In Children (PIC) Study: Defining A Clinical Decision Rule for The Management Of Fever and Non-Blanching Rashes In Children Including The Role Of Point Of Care Testing For Procalcitonin & Neisseria Meningitidis DNA.
An observational study of Meningitis, Meningococcal and Meningococcal Sepsis, run by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
A fever and a non-blanching rash is a relatively common reason for a child to attend an emergency department. A fever and a non-blanching rash can be an early sign of a life-threatening infection known as meningococcal disease. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages Up to 18 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Meningitis, Meningococcal, Meningococcal Sepsis, Meningococcal Disease
- How many people
- 1,329 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 9 Nov 2017to 30 Jun 2019
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Up to 18 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Study population: All Children <18 years of age (male and female) attending with a fever (recorded or reported) 38C and a non-blanching rash (at the time of presentation) or features of meningococcal sepsis/meningitis will be eligible for recruitment.
Who may be able to join
- Fever (recorded or reported) 38 degrees Centigrade or higher and a non-blanching rash (at the time of presentation)
- Features of meningococcal sepsis/meningitis
Who cannot join
- Known haematological conditions such as haematological malignancy, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and coagulopathy
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United Kingdom1 site
Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children
Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT126BE
About this study
Official title: Petechiae In Children (PIC) Study
A fever and a non-blanching rash is a relatively common reason for a child to attend an emergency department. A fever and a non-blanching rash can be an early sign of a life-threatening infection known as meningococcal disease. The aim of the PIC study is to determine how best to diagnose early meningococcal disease in children.
In particular the investigators are interested in researching how quick bedside tests can be used to do this.
Read the detailed description
A fever an a non-blanching rash is a relatively common presentation the the emergency department. A minority of children with a fever and a non-blanching rash with have a life-threatening infection. Currently it is very difficult to determine those children that require urgent treatment from those that have a simple viral illness.
The aim of the PIC study is to research how to better diagnose those serious infections earlier.
Data from the study will be used to test the effectiveness of current practice and to identify areas where current practice could be improved.
- Conditions
- Meningitis, Meningococcal, Meningococcal Sepsis, Meningococcal Disease, Meningococcal Infections, Sepsis, Meningitis
- Keywords
- meningococcal, neisseria meningitidis, sepsis, meningitis, procalcitonin, PCT, LAMP, loop-mediated-isothermal AMPlification
- Medical subject headings
- Meningitis, Meningococcal, Meningococcal Infections, Sepsis, Meningitis
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Confirmation of meningococcal infection
Blood and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture or quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) will be used to confirm meningococcal infection
Measured: 72 hours from testing
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Dec 2017
- Study start9 Nov 2017
- Primary completion30 Jun 2019
- Study completion30 Jun 2019
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (13)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Meningitis, MeningococcalStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 1,329 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Pediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI), Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Queen's University, Belfast, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- MIchael D Shields, Principal investigator, Queen's University, Belfast
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03378258
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- EAT/5313/16
- Other IDs
- 17/NI/0169
- Acronym
- PIC
- Status last verified
- Dec 2019
- First submitted
- 27 Nov 2017
- Last updated
- 12 Dec 2019
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes
Publications
Meningitis Research Foundation. Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia. 2016. https://www.meningitis.org/getmedia/cf777153-9427-4464-89e2-fb58199174b6/gp_booklet-UK-sept-16. Accessed 10 Oct 2017.
O Maoldomhnaigh C, Drew RJ, Gavin P, Cafferkey M, Butler KM. Invasive meningococcal disease in children in Ireland, 2001-2011. Arch Dis Child. 2016 Dec;101(12):1125-1129. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2015-310215. Epub 2016 Aug 26.
PubMed 27566800Meningitis (bacterial) and meningococcal septicaemia in under 16s: recognition, diagnosis and management. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2015 Feb. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555182/
PubMed 32207890Bourke TW, McKenna JP, Coyle PV, Shields MD, Fairley DJ. Diagnostic accuracy of loop-mediated isothermal amplification as a near-patient test for meningococcal disease in children: an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015 May;15(5):552-8. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(15)70038-1. Epub 2015 Feb 27.
PubMed 25728843Brogan PA, Raffles A. The management of fever and petechiae: making sense of rash decisions. Arch Dis Child. 2000 Dec;83(6):506-7. doi: 10.1136/adc.83.6.506.
PubMed 11087287Mandl KD, Stack AM, Fleisher GR. Incidence of bacteremia in infants and children with fever and petechiae. J Pediatr. 1997 Sep;131(3):398-404. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(97)80065-0.
PubMed 9329416Nielsen HE, Andersen EA, Andersen J, Bottiger B, Christiansen KM, Daugbjerg P, Larsen SO, Lind I, Nir M, Olofsson K. Diagnostic assessment of haemorrhagic rash and fever. Arch Dis Child. 2001 Aug;85(2):160-5. doi: 10.1136/adc.85.2.160.
PubMed 11466193Riordan FA, Jones L, Clark J; Non-Blanching Rash Audit Group. Validation of two algorithms for managing children with a non-blanching rash. Arch Dis Child. 2016 Aug;101(8):709-13. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2015-309451. Epub 2016 Mar 16.
PubMed 26984401Waterfield T, Maney JA, Fairley D, Lyttle MD, McKenna JP, Roland D, Corr M, McFetridge L, Mitchell H, Woolfall K, Lynn F, Patenall B, Shields MD; Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI) Group. Validating clinical practice guidelines for the management of children with non-blanching rashes in the UK (PiC): a prospective, multicentre cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2021 Apr;21(4):569-577. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30474-6. Epub 2020 Nov 10.
PubMed 33186517Waterfield T, Maney JA, Lyttle MD, McKenna JP, Roland D, Corr M, Patenall B, Shields MD, Woolfall K, Fairley D; Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI). Diagnostic test accuracy of point-of-care procalcitonin to diagnose serious bacterial infections in children. BMC Pediatr. 2020 Oct 21;20(1):487. doi: 10.1186/s12887-020-02385-2.
PubMed 33087092Waterfield T, Lyttle MD, McKenna J, Maney JA, Roland D, Corr M, Woolfall K, Patenall B, Shields M, Fairley D; Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI). Loop-mediated isothermal amplification for the early diagnosis of invasive meningococcal disease in children. Arch Dis Child. 2020 Dec;105(12):1151-1156. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-319139. Epub 2020 Jun 25.
PubMed 32586928Waterfield T, Lyttle MD, Shields M, Fairley D, Roland D, McKenna J, Woolfall K; Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI). Parents' and clinicians' views on conducting paediatric diagnostic test accuracy studies without prior informed consent: qualitative insight from the Petechiae in Children study (PiC). Arch Dis Child. 2019 Oct;104(10):979-983. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-317117. Epub 2019 Jun 7.
PubMed 31175126Waterfield T, Lyttle MD, Fairley D, Mckenna J, Woolfall K, Lynn F, Maney JA, Roland D, Weir A, Shields MD; Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI). The "Petechiae in children" (PiC) study: evaluating potential clinical decision rules for the management of feverish children with non-blanching rashes, including the role of point of care testing for Procalcitonin & Neisseria meningitidis DNA - a study protocol. BMC Pediatr. 2018 Jul 30;18(1):246. doi: 10.1186/s12887-018-1220-x.
PubMed 30060751
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Dec 2019. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Petechiae In Children (PIC) Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03378258
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PIC / EAT/5313/16
- Conditions
- Meningitis, Meningococcal, Meningococcal Sepsis, Meningococcal Disease, Meningococcal Infections, Sepsis, Meningitis
- Keywords
- meningococcal, neisseria meningitidis, sepsis, meningitis, procalcitonin, PCT, LAMP, loop-mediated-isothermal AMPlification
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 1,329 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Belfast Health and Social Care TrustUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Pediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI), Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Queen's University, Belfast, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland)
- Study start
- 9 Nov 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 19 Dec 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
A fever and a non-blanching rash is a relatively common reason for a child to attend an emergency department. A fever and a non-blanching rash can be an early sign of a life-threatening infection known as meningococcal disease. The aim of the PIC study is to determine how best to diagnose early meningococcal disease in children.
In particular the investigators are interested in researching how quick bedside tests can be used to do this.
Detailed description
A fever an a non-blanching rash is a relatively common presentation the the emergency department. A minority of children with a fever and a non-blanching rash with have a life-threatening infection. Currently it is very difficult to determine those children that require urgent treatment from those that have a simple viral illness.
The aim of the PIC study is to research how to better diagnose those serious infections earlier.
Data from the study will be used to test the effectiveness of current practice and to identify areas where current practice could be improved.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
Who may qualify
- Ages
- Up to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
- Study population
- All Children <18 years of age (male and female) attending with a fever (recorded or reported) 38C and a non-blanching rash (at the time of presentation) or features of meningococcal sepsis/meningitis will be eligible for recruitment.
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Fever (recorded or reported) 38 degrees Centigrade or higher and a non-blanching rash (at the time of presentation)
- Features of meningococcal sepsis/meningitis
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Known haematological conditions such as haematological malignancy, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and coagulopathy
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Confirmation of meningococcal infection
Time frame: 72 hours from testing
Blood and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture or quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) will be used to confirm meningococcal infection
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Dec 2019.
- BackgroundMeningitis Research Foundation. Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia. 2016. https://www.meningitis.org/getmedia/cf777153-9427-4464-89e2-fb58199174b6/gp_booklet-UK-sept-16. Accessed 10 Oct 2017.
- Background: PubMed 27566800O Maoldomhnaigh C, Drew RJ, Gavin P, Cafferkey M, Butler KM. Invasive meningococcal disease in children in Ireland, 2001-2011. Arch Dis Child. 2016 Dec;101(12):1125-1129. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2015-310215. Epub 2016 Aug 26.
- Background: PubMed 32207890Meningitis (bacterial) and meningococcal septicaemia in under 16s: recognition, diagnosis and management. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2015 Feb. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555182/
- Background: PubMed 25728843Bourke TW, McKenna JP, Coyle PV, Shields MD, Fairley DJ. Diagnostic accuracy of loop-mediated isothermal amplification as a near-patient test for meningococcal disease in children: an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015 May;15(5):552-8. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(15)70038-1. Epub 2015 Feb 27.
- Background: PubMed 11087287Brogan PA, Raffles A. The management of fever and petechiae: making sense of rash decisions. Arch Dis Child. 2000 Dec;83(6):506-7. doi: 10.1136/adc.83.6.506.
- Background: PubMed 9329416Mandl KD, Stack AM, Fleisher GR. Incidence of bacteremia in infants and children with fever and petechiae. J Pediatr. 1997 Sep;131(3):398-404. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(97)80065-0.
- Background: PubMed 11466193Nielsen HE, Andersen EA, Andersen J, Bottiger B, Christiansen KM, Daugbjerg P, Larsen SO, Lind I, Nir M, Olofsson K. Diagnostic assessment of haemorrhagic rash and fever. Arch Dis Child. 2001 Aug;85(2):160-5. doi: 10.1136/adc.85.2.160.
- Background: PubMed 26984401Riordan FA, Jones L, Clark J; Non-Blanching Rash Audit Group. Validation of two algorithms for managing children with a non-blanching rash. Arch Dis Child. 2016 Aug;101(8):709-13. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2015-309451. Epub 2016 Mar 16.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 33186517Waterfield T, Maney JA, Fairley D, Lyttle MD, McKenna JP, Roland D, Corr M, McFetridge L, Mitchell H, Woolfall K, Lynn F, Patenall B, Shields MD; Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI) Group. Validating clinical practice guidelines for the management of children with non-blanching rashes in the UK (PiC): a prospective, multicentre cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2021 Apr;21(4):569-577. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30474-6. Epub 2020 Nov 10.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 33087092Waterfield T, Maney JA, Lyttle MD, McKenna JP, Roland D, Corr M, Patenall B, Shields MD, Woolfall K, Fairley D; Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI). Diagnostic test accuracy of point-of-care procalcitonin to diagnose serious bacterial infections in children. BMC Pediatr. 2020 Oct 21;20(1):487. doi: 10.1186/s12887-020-02385-2.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 32586928Waterfield T, Lyttle MD, McKenna J, Maney JA, Roland D, Corr M, Woolfall K, Patenall B, Shields M, Fairley D; Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI). Loop-mediated isothermal amplification for the early diagnosis of invasive meningococcal disease in children. Arch Dis Child. 2020 Dec;105(12):1151-1156. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-319139. Epub 2020 Jun 25.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 31175126Waterfield T, Lyttle MD, Shields M, Fairley D, Roland D, McKenna J, Woolfall K; Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI). Parents' and clinicians' views on conducting paediatric diagnostic test accuracy studies without prior informed consent: qualitative insight from the Petechiae in Children study (PiC). Arch Dis Child. 2019 Oct;104(10):979-983. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-317117. Epub 2019 Jun 7.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes
Related trials for Meningitis, Meningococcal
Not yet recruitingPhase 4
Single-center, Open-label Study: Immunogenicity and Safety Observation After Vaccination With ACYW135 Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine in Junior High School Students Aged 13-15 Years
Meningococcal Disease; Meningococcal Meningitis
Active, not recruitingPhase 2
Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of MenABCWY Administered on Different Dosing Schedules in Healthy Adolescents
Meningitis, Meningococcal
RecruitingPhase 3
Phase Ⅲ Trial of Group ACYW135 Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Children Aged 3-5 Months
Epidemic Meningitis, Meningococcal Vaccines
RecruitingPhase 3
Phase Ⅲ Trial of Group ACYW135 Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Children Aged 6-11 Months
Epidemic Meningitis, Meningococcal Vaccines
RecruitingPhase 3
Phase Ⅲ Trial of Group ACYW135 Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Children Aged 12-23 Months
Epidemic Meningitis, Meningococcal Vaccines
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
MIchael D Shields principal investigator
Queen's University, Belfast
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Meningitis, Meningococcal and Meningococcal Sepsis, run by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Dec 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Confirmation of meningococcal infection (time frame: 72 hours from testing). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03378258, which also lists 13 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Dec 2019; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 31 Oct 2026.