Dr Rachel Kearns

Honorary Professor (School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing)

Biography

Dr Rachel Kearns is a consultant anaesthetist at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and holds a Chief Scientist Office Career Researcher Fellowship.

Rachel's research involves the linkage of routinely collected health data to study maternal and child health outcomes. Her current research focuses on the effects of maternal anaesthetic interventions and adverse maternal lifestyle choices on offspring health and educational outcomes. Rachel is course lead for the intercalated B Med Sci in critical care and peri-operative medicine.

Research interests

Maternal anaesthetic interventions and offspring health and educational outcomes.

Effect of maternal lifestyle choices on offspring outcomes.

Influence of public health interventions on maternal, obstetric and offspring outcomes.

Use of regional anaesthesia to improve surgical outcomes.

The role of anaesthesia in peri-operative inflammation.

Publications

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Jump to: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009

Number of items: 50.

2025

Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Nelson, Scott M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 and Lucas, Dominique Nuala (2025) Maternal fever, epidural analgesia and genetics: implications for the neonate. British Journal of Anaesthesia, (doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2025.04.018) (In Press)

Sharif, Ben, Nana, Melanie, Kearns, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Lo, Queenie and Metodiev, Yavor (2025) Anaesthetic management of oncological disease in pregnancy: a narrative review. Anaesthesia, (doi: 10.1111/anae.16489) (PMID:39775436) (Early Online Publication)

Weber, Valentin, Truelove, Adam, Gohari, Shireen S., Wynne, Luke A., Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 and O’Carroll, James E. (2025) Online patient information on labour epidural analgesia provided by UK NHS hospitals: assessment of readability and improvement of readability standards using ChatGPT. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, (Accepted for Publication)

2024

Lewis, O. et al. (2024) Regional anaesthesia research priorities: a Regional Anaesthesia UK (RA-UK) priority setting partnership involving patients, carers and healthcare professionals. Anaesthesia, (doi: 10.1111/anae.16473) (PMID:39584463) (Early Online Publication)

Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Nelson, Scott M. and Rex, Steffen (2024) Epidural analgesia in labour: separating fact from fiction for autism and neurodevelopment. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 133(2), pp. 247-254. (doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2024.05.009) (PMID:38876925)

Kearns, R.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Broom, M.A. and Lucas, D.N. (2024) Long-term effects of neuraxial analgesia. Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology, 37(3), pp. 227-233. (doi: 10.1097/ACO.0000000000001365) (PMID:38390906)

Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Kyzayeva, Aizhan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2981-8688, Halliday, Lucy O.E., Lawlor, Deborah A., Shaw, Martin and Nelson, Scott ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 (2024) Epidural analgesia in labour and severe maternal morbidity: a population-based study. British Medical Journal, 385, e077190. (doi: 10.1136/bmj-2023-077190)

Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Kyzayeva, Aizhan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2981-8688, Halliday, Lucy O.E., Lawlor, Deborah A., Shaw, Martin and Nelson, Scott M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 (2024) Epidural analgesia during labour and severe maternal morbidity: population based study. British Medical Journal, 385, e077190. (doi: 10.1136/bmj-2023-077190) (PMID:38777357) (PMCID:MC11109902)

Ferry, J. et al. (2024) Research priorities in regional anaesthesia: an international Delphi study. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 132(5), pp. 1041-1048. (doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2024.01.033) (PMID:38448274) (PMCID:PMC11103078)

Halliday, L., Shaw, M., Kyzayeva, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2981-8688, Lawlor, D.A., Nelson, S.M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 and Kearns, R.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 (2024) Socio-economic disadvantage and utilisation of labour epidural analgesia in Scotland: a population-based study. Anaesthesia, 79(5), pp. 473-485. (doi: 10.1111/anae.16236) (PMID:38359539)

Challoumas, Dimitris, Munn, David, Jeyakumar, Gowsikan, Bagot, Catherine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6439-9706, Rodgers, Ryan, Kearns, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 and Jones, Bryn (2024) Outcomes of total hip and knee arthroplasty in patients with haemophilia: a meta-analysis of comparative studies and clinical practice recommendations. Haemophilia, 30(1), pp. 180-194. (doi: 10.1111/hae.14904) (PMID:38082543)

Kinsella, M., Capel, Y., Nelson, S.M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 and Kearns, R.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 (2024) Opioid substitution in pregnancy a narrative review: contemporary evidence for use of Methadone and Buprenorphine in pregnancy. Journal of Substance Use, 28(6), pp. 919-924. (doi: 10.1080/14659891.2022.2106600)

2023

Bellew, B. et al. (2023) Regional anaesthesia training in the UK – a national survey. BJA Open, 8, 100241. (doi: 10.1016/j.bjao.2023.100241)

Keast, T. et al. (2023) Study protocol for IMPRoVE: a multicentre prospective observational cohort study of the incidence, impact and mechanisms of perioperative right ventricular dysfunction in non-cardiac surgery. BMJ Open, 13(9), e074687. (doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074687) (PMID:37673452) (PMCID:PMC10496661)

Evans, Annie, Shevlin, Sean, Burckett-St.Laurent, David, Bowness, James, Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 and MacFarlane, Alan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3858-6468 (2023) Pilot study exploring if an augmented reality NeedleTrainer device improves novice performance of a simulated central venous catheter insertion on a phantom. Cureus, 15(6), e40197. (doi: 10.7759/cureus.40197) (PMID:37431346) (PMCID:PMC10329877)

Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 and Nelson, Scott M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 (2023) Routine prophylactic esketamine for the prevention of maternal pain during cesarean delivery. JAMA Network Open, 6(4), e239331. (doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.9331) (PMID:37083670)

Kearns, R.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 and Lucas, D.N. (2023) Neuraxial analgesia in labour and the fetus. Best Practice and Research: Clinical Anaesthesiology, 37(1), pp. 73-86. (doi: 10.1016/j.bpa.2023.02.005) (PMID:37295856)

Kearns, R. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Shaw, M. and Nelson, S. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 (2023) Non‐obstetric surgery and later childhood development: optimal anaesthesia for the mother–infant dyad. Anaesthesia, 78(2), pp. 143-146. (doi: 10.1111/anae.15889) (PMID:36256679)

Oberndorfer, Moritz ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3987-0823, Henery, Paul M., Dundas, Ruth ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3836-4286, Leyland, Alastair H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3741-7099, Paranjothy, Shantini, Stock, Sarah Jane, Wood, Rachael, Nelson, Scott M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047, Kearns, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 and Pearce, Anna ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0085-5263 (2023) Study protocol: examining the impacts of COVID-19 mitigation measures on pregnancy and birth outcomes in Scotland—a linked administrative data study. BMJ Open, 13(2), e066293. (doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066293) (PMID:36792327) (PMCID:PMC9933130)

2022

Ashken, T. et al. (2022) Recommendations for anatomical structures to identify on ultrasound for the performance of intermediate and advanced blocks in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia. Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, 47(12), pp. 762-772. (doi: 10.1136/rapm-2022-103738) (PMID:36283714)

Halliday, Lucy, Nelson, Scott M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 and Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 (2022) Epidural analgesia in labor: a narrative review. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 159(2), pp. 356-364. (doi: 10.1002/ijgo.14175) (PMID:35277971)

Broom, M. A., Bailey, E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3826-9956, Kearns, R. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, McMillan, M. and McPeake, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8206-6801 (2022) Diagnostic terminology in placenta accreta spectrum: a scoping review. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, 51, 103572. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijoa.2022.103572) (PMID:35868995)

Halliday, L., Kinsella, M., Shaw, M., Cheyne, J., Nelson, N.M. and Kearns, R. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 (2022) Comparison of ultra-low, low and high concentration local anaesthetic for labour epidural analgesia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Anaesthesia, 77(8), pp. 910-918. (doi: 10.1111/anae.15756) (PMID:35607864)

Kinsella, Michael, Halliday, Lucy O. E., Shaw, Martin, Capel, Yasmin, Nelson, Scott M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 and Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 (2022) Buprenorphine compared with methadone in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Substance Use and Misuse, 57(9), pp. 1400-1416. (doi: 10.1080/10826084.2022.2083174) (PMID:35758300)

Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Womack, Jonathan and Macfarlane, Alan A.J.R ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3858-6468 (2022) Regional anaesthesia research – where to now? British Journal of Pain, 16(2), pp. 132-135. (doi: 10.1177/20494637221091139)

Bowness, J. S. et al. (2022) International consensus on anatomical structures to identify on ultrasound for the performance of basic blocks in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia. Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, 47(2), pp. 106-112. (doi: 10.1136/rapm-2021-103004) (PMID:34552005)

2021

Macfarlane, A. J.R. et al. (2021) Anaesthesia Choice for Creation of Arteriovenous Fistula (ACCess) study protocol: a randomised controlled trial comparing primary unassisted patency at 1 year of primary arteriovenous fistulae created under regional compared to local anaesthesia. BMJ Open, 11(12), e052188. (doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052188) (PMID:34937718) (PMCID:PMC8704953)

Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Shaw, Martin, Gromski, Piotr S., Iliodromiti, Stamatina, Lawlor, Deborah A. and Nelson, Scott M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 (2021) Association of epidural analgesia in women in labor with neonatal and childhood outcomes in a population cohort. JAMA Network Open, 4(10), e2131683. (doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.31683) (PMID:34709386) (PMCID:PMC8554639)

McCallum, A.R., Broom, M.A., Litchfield, K.N., Shaw, M and Kearns, R.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 (2021) The effect of COVID‐19 on general anaesthesia rates for caesarean section. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, 47, 103188. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijoa.2021.103188)

Kearns, Rachel Joyce ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Shaw, Martin, Gromski, Piotr S., Iliodromiti, Stamatina, Pell, Jill P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8898-7035, Lawlor, Deborah A. and Nelson, Scott M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-3047 (2021) Neonatal and early childhood outcomes following maternal anesthesia for cesarean section: a population-based cohort study. Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, 46(6), pp. 482-489. (doi: 10.1136/rapm-2020-102441) (PMID:33832987)

Alhayyan, Aliah M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5899-1965, McSorley, Stephen T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5459-8445, Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Horgan, Paul G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5557-7905, Roxburgh, Campbell S.D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2649-6695 and McMillan, Donald C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4260-5334 (2021) The effect of anesthesia on the magnitude of the postoperative systemic inflammatory response in patients undergoing elective surgery for colorectal cancer in the context of an enhanced recovery pathway: A prospective cohort study. Medicine, 100(2), e23997. (doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000023997) (PMID:33466141) (PMCID:PMC7808526)

2020

Aitken, Emma, Kearns, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Gaianu, Lucian, Jackson, Andrew, Steven, Mark, Kinsella, John, Clancy, Marc and MacFarlane, Alan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3858-6468 (2020) Long-term functional patency and cost-effectiveness of arteriovenous fistula creation under regional anesthesia: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 31(8), pp. 1871-1882. (doi: 10.1681/ASN.2019111209) (PMID:32709710)

ALHAYYAN, ALIAH ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5899-1965, McSorley, Stephen T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5459-8445, Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Horgan, Paul G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5557-7905, Roxburgh, Campbell S.D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2649-6695 and McMillan, Donald C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4260-5334 (2020) The relationship between anaesthetic technique, clinicopathological characteristics and the magnitude of the postoperative systemic inflammatory response in patients undergoing elective surgery for colon cancer. PLoS ONE, 15(4), e0228580. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228580) (PMID:32348308) (PMCID:PMC7190171)

Alhayyan, Aliah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5899-1965, McSorley, Stephen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5459-8445, Roxburgh, Campbell ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2649-6695, Kearns, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Horgan, Paul ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5557-7905 and McMillan, Donald ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4260-5334 (2020) The effect of anesthesia on the postoperative systemic inflammatory response in patients undergoing surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Surgery Open Science, 2(1), pp. 1-21. (doi: 10.1016/j.sopen.2019.06.001) (PMID:32754703) (PMCID:PMC7391900)

2019

Golder, Allan M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0293-139X, McSorley, Stephen T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5459-8445, Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, McMillan, Donald C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4260-5334, Horgan, Paul G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5557-7905 and Roxburgh, Campbell S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2649-6695 (2019) Attitudes towards the use of perioperative steroids in resectional colorectal cancer surgery in the UK: a qualitative study. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 48, pp. 23-28. (doi: 10.1016/j.amsu.2019.10.007) (PMID:31687135) (PMCID:PMC6820077)

O'Reilly, N., Desmet, M. and Kearns, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 (2019) Fascia iliaca compartment block. BJA Education, 19(6), pp. 191-197. (doi: 10.1016/j.bjae.2019.03.001)

2017

Kearns, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, MacFarlane, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3858-6468, Kinsella, J. and Anderson, K. (2017) Fascia iliaca block for hip replacement - adjuvants and ethics. A reply. Anaesthesia, 72(5), pp. 660-661. (doi: 10.1111/anae.13881) (PMID:28401543)

Kearns, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Macfarlane, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3858-6468, Kinsella, J. and Anderson, K. (2017) Fascia iliaca block for primary hip arthroplasty - a reply. Anaesthesia, 72(3), pp. 409-410. (doi: 10.1111/anae.13825) (PMID:28176315)

2016

Kearns, R., Macfarlane, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3858-6468, Grant, A., Puxty, K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5742-6171, Harrison, P., Shaw, M., Anderson, K. and Kinsella, J. (2016) A randomised, controlled, double blind, non-inferiority trial of ultrasound-guided fascia iliaca block vs. spinal morphine for analgesia after primary hip arthroplasty. Anaesthesia, 71(12), pp. 1431-1440. (doi: 10.1111/anae.13620) (PMID:27714758)

Aitken, Emma, Jackson, Andrew, Kearns, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Steven, Mark, Kinsella, John, Clancy, Marc and MacFarlane, Alan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3858-6468 (2016) Effect of regional versus local anaesthesia on outcome after arteriovenous fistula creation: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet, 388(10049), pp. 1067-1074. (doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30948-5) (PMID:27492881)

2015

Kinsella, John and Kearns, Rachel J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 (2015) Antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia in adults. New England Journal of Medicine, 373(7), pp. 683-684. (doi: 10.1056/NEJMc1506892) (PMID:26267639)

2014

Tan, H., Kearns, R.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858, Fail, M. and Kinsella, J. (2014) The performance of a SIGN audit in hip fracture management. Agility, pp. 49-53.

2013

MacFarlane, Alan James Robert ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3858-6468, Kearns, Rachel, Aitken, Emma, Kinsella, John and Clancy, Marc (2013) Does regional compared to local anaesthesia influence outcome after arteriovenous fistula creation? Trials, 14, 263. (doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-14-263) (PMID:23958289) (PMCID:PMC3765116)

Kearns, R.J., Moss, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4968-0900 and Kinsella, J. (2013) A comparison of clinical practice guidelines for proximal femoral fracture. Anaesthesia, 68(2), pp. 159-166. (doi: 10.1111/anae.12076)

2011

Kearns, R.J., Uppal, V., Bonner, J. and Robertson, J. (2011) The introduction of a surgical safety checklist in a tertiary referral obstetric centre. BMJ Quality and Safety, 20(9), pp. 818-822. (doi: 10.1136/bmjqs.2010.050179)

Uppal, V., Kearns, R.J. and McGrady, E.M. (2011) Evaluation of M43B Lumbar puncture simulator-II as a training tool for identification of the epidural space and lumbar puncture. Anaesthesia, 66(6), pp. 493-496. (doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2011.06710.x)

Kearns, R.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 and Young, S.J. (2011) Transversus abdominis plane blocks; a national survey of techniques used by UK obstetric anaesthetists. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, 20(1), pp. 103-104. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijoa.2010.08.005)

Kearns, R.J., MacFarlane, A.J.R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3858-6468, Anderson, K.J. and Kinsella, J. (2011) Intrathecal opioid versus ultrasound guided fascia iliaca plane block for analgesia after primary hip arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomised, blinded, noninferiority controlled trial. Trials, 12(51), pp. 1-6. (doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-12-51)

2010

Kearns, R.J., Brewer, A. and Booth, M. (2010) The introduction of an oral surgical service in an intensive care unit serving a deprived inner city population. Journal of Intensive Care Society, 11(4), pp. 237-239. (doi: 10.1177/175114371001100405)

2009

Kearns, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6156-6858 and Booth, Malcolm (2009) Oral hygiene practices in Scottish intensive care units – a national survey. Journal of Intensive Care Society, 10(2), pp. 155-157. (doi: 10.1177/175114370901000224)

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