A Web Based Software System for Bone and Joint Infections in Children

44 International Journal of User-Driven Healthcare, 2(4), 44-56, October-December 2012

Vaia Tsioutsiou, Laboratory for Graphics, Multimedia & GIS, Computer & Informatics Engineering Department, University of Patras, 26500, Hellas, Greece Vasileios Syrimpeis, Laboratory for Graphics, Multimedia & GIS, Computer & Informatics Engineering Department, University of Patras, 26500, Hellas, Greece Giannis Tzimas, Laboratory for Graphics, Multimedia & GIS, Computer & Informatics Engineering Department, University of Patras, 26500, Hellas, Greece George Sdougkos, “Karamandaneio” Children Hospital of Patras, Orthopaedic Department, 26225, Hellas, Greece Athanasios Tsakalidis, Laboratory for Graphics, Multimedia & GIS, Computer & Informatics Engineering Department, University of Patras, 26500, Hellas, Greece Elias Panagiotopoulos, University Hospital of Patras, Orthopaedic Department, 26501, Hellas, Greece

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a web based system for recording, monitoring, and studying pediatric patients with bone and joint infections. A rapid prototyping method was followed based on Adobe Fireworks CS3. The database is developed in MySQL. The application is based on PHP and JavaScript. The system’s architecture and design are based on three principles; “to follow the way Medical Doctors think and work,” “to make Medical Doctors work easier and faster,” and “to record scientifically validated data elements for research.” The developed system is “doctor-friendly” because it is based on classifications and knowledge grouping specialized on children infections on bones and joints, using the experience of Medical experts on the field. The benefits of the system expand to Patients, Medical Doctors, HealthCare Systems, Research & Science and every day clinical practice.

Keywords: Children Infections, Clinical Informatics, Clinical Software, Medical Informatics, Osteomyelitis in Children, Septic Arthritis, Web-Based Software

DOI: 10.4018/ijudh.2012100108

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INTRODUCTION is isolated and antibiotic susceptibilities are determined, is also a domain for research. Bones’ and joints’ infections among children are For example, there is little information on the usually caused by bacteria, leading to prolonged use of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the antibiotic administration and hospitalization. treatment of invasive MRSA infections (Adra The management of children with diagnosed or & Lawrence, 2004) moreover the role of dapto- suspected infections in bones and joints remains mycin in the treatment of MRSA osteomyelitis a challenge. However, over the past 15 years, in children is unclear (Bradley, 2005). increasing microbial virulence combined with Starting from pathogenesis to microbiol- antibiotic resistance as well as advances in ogy, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and imaging techniques and diagnostic molecular treatment, a variety of issues still remains un- microbiology has led to an increased quantity clear requiring a systematic and more detailed and variety of new medical data (Kaplan, 2005). medical data collection for further research. The Infections of bones and joints in children amount of information required or worthy for occur haematogenously in most of the cases, medical research is increasing and as a result, es- although injury to the site of the bone infection sential elements are often not recorded and lost. is usually referred in the history. Therefore, the In addition, there is significant variation in role of injury in the pathogenesis of bones and terminology and data reporting among differ- joints infections in children remains unclear ent medical specialties that treat bone and joint (Stott, 2001). infections in children, such as Paediatrics and By far, the most common bacterial pathogen Children Orthopaedics, or even among medical causing osteomyelitis in children is Staphy- doctors of the same specialty. lococcus aureus in all age groups (Krogstad, This paper presents a web based system 2004). Group A Streptococcus (Ibia, Imoisili, for recording, monitoring and studying children & Pikas, 2003), Streptococcus pneumonia with infections of bones and joints that requires (Bradley, 2005), and the emerging pathogen almost no text entry and editing and could be Kingella kingae (Yagupsky & Dagan, 1997) accessed through any electronic device with are the next most common organisms in infants an internet connection and a web browser. and children. The list of pathogens continues, Furthermore, our goal was to create a system in parallel with a variety of predisposing risk containing most of the scientifically validated factors leading to an area for further research. data elements, reducing omissions and improv- Infections of bones and joints tend to be ing consistency by standardising the reporting more diffuse in infants because of low anatomic language among medical doctors. One of the barriers to limit the spread of infection (Kaplan, benefits lays in the output of the system that con- 2005). In addition, new manifestations of acute tains all of the entered scientifically validated osteomyelitis are associated with clones of elements that are easily exploited for medical community-associated methicillin-resistant S. research issues using standard SQL commands. aureus (CA-MRSA) carrying the genes encod- In addition, the system’s interface architecture ing Panton-Valentine leukocidin (pvl) (Kaplan, is based on the traditional medical way of 2005; Sdougkos, Chini, & Papanastasiou, 2008). thinking and acting, (starting from History to In almost half of children with acute Physical Examination, then to Laboratory Tests osteomyelitis, a bacterial etiology is never es- and Imaging Examinations, etc.) providing a tablished (Floyed & Steele, 2003). Therefore, “doctor-friendly” system. Therefore, it requires polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may become almost no training, helping Medical Doctors to an important diagnostic tool (Moumile, Merckx, work easier and in a faster way. & Glorion, 2003). The remainder of the paper is organized The empiric regimens and the modifica- as follows. First, the methods used for the tion of antibiotic treatment once an organism design, development, testing and validation

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