| Methods |
Retrospective cohort study carried out in North Staffordshire hospital (UK) during 2 periods: from 1 November 1994 to 31 January 1995 and from 1 November 1995 to 31 January 1996. The study assessed the use at admission of assigning children to a cohort once a rapid enzyme immunoassay or immunofluorescence testing had identified RSV‐positive patients. The incidence of RSV illness was compared in cohorted and uncohorted children. The authors believed that this procedure would aid clinical management and minimise cross‐infection from affected to susceptible patients. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from infants and young children with an acute respiratory illness. Aspirates were sent for rapid diagnostic testing. RSV‐positive patients were cohorted into 6‐bedded bays on the paediatric ward. All carers observed standard routines (handwashing and gown wearing) |
| Participants |
Children less than 3 years of age with an acute respiratory illness on admission. During the study periods a total of 222 patients in 1994 to 1995 and 291 patients in 1995 to 1996 had positive rapid tests |
| Interventions |
RSV diagnosis and cohorting versus normal care |
| Outcomes |
Laboratory: aspirates for RSV diagnosis
Effectiveness: RSV illness (developed at least 5 days since admission)
Safety: n/a "RSV infection reduced" (but data tabled do not support this conclusion) |
| Notes |
Risk of bias: high (poor descriptions)
Notes: the authors conclude that cohorting has been shown to reduce nosocomial transmission of RSV infections (no OR or other measures of strength are reported: "nosocomial transmission was minimised"). The study presents many inconsistencies between text and table and data were not extracted. The objective of the study is not well‐defined. Part of the results is in the discussion. Most of all it is unclear who the intervention and control arms were (i.e. cohorting of RSV‐infected children to prevent infection in whom?) |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
N/A |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
N/A |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
N/A |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
N/A |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
N/A |
