Authors' objectives:

To summarise the current research on opebecan for meningococcal sepsis.

Authors' recommendations: - Clinical impact: Meningococcal sepsis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Should treatment with opebecan prove to be successful for severe septicaemia in children (up to 900 children in England and Wales) it is possible that the patient group may be widened to include both less severe paediatric disease and adults. - Service impact: For optimum effect opebecan will need to be given early in the disease, initially for those with severe septicaemia this is likely to be within a paediatric intensivecare facility. - Additional factors: Although relatively rare, meningococcal infection receives a significant amount of media attention and is of major concern to parents. - Financial and overall NHS impact: No cost data for opebecan are available, although the cost per patient is likely to be high. Costs may be saved in the long term by a reduction in morbidity and disability. If this treatment proves to be successful in a paediatric setting, the indications may be expanded to adult disease with additional cost implications.

Authors' methods: Overview

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2002

URL for published report: http://www.hsric.nihr.ac.uk/search

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: England, United Kingdom

Organisation Name: NIHR Horizon Scanning Centre

Contact Address: The NIHR Horizon Scanning Centre, Department of Public Health, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics, School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, 90 Vincent Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2SP. United Kingdom. Tel: +44 121 414 7831, Fax: +44 121 2269

Contact Name: c.packer@bham.ac.uk

Contact Email: c.packer@bham.ac.uk

Copyright: National Horizon Scanning Centre (NHSC)