Congratulations to Drs. Gill, Buchanan, and Mahant!

POPCORN is proud to share that the pilot randomized clinical trial, Dexamethasone vs. Placebo in Children and Youth Hospitalized for Orbital Cellulitis, led by Drs. Peter Gill, Francine Buchanan, and Sanjay Mahant (Principal Applicants), has been awarded a three-year project grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Orbital cellulitis is a serious infection around the eye that can be life-threatening, and it most often affects children and youth. Treatment usually means staying in the hospital for antibiotics, and in some cases, surgery is needed. Some small studies suggest that steroids might help by reducing swelling and inflammation, which could help kids recover faster and leave the hospital sooner. But due to a low number of studies, there are currently no standard hospital guidelines on using steroids for orbital cellulitis. This research team aims to gauge the feasibility of running a new study through this pilot study at one Canadian children’s hospital.

Congratulations to Drs. Gill, Buchanan, and Mahant, and the entire research team, for working to improve pediatric care in Canada!