NCT03360851

Brief Summary

Rationale: Uncertainty in the clinical and etiological diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) often leads to incorrect treatment and unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Establishing the clinical diagnosis of CAP is hampered by the suboptimal sensitivity of chest radiograph to detect pulmonary infiltrates (\~70%). Establishing the etiological diagnosis is also hampered, mainly because of the inevitable diagnostic delays and low sensitivity of routine microbiological tests. There are currently no recommendations for low-dose chest computed tomography (low-dose CT) or viral and bacterial point-of-care multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PoC-PCR) in the diagnostic work-up of CAP patients, because the data supporting such an approach are lacking. Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the added value of low-dose CT and PoC-PCR in the diagnostic workup of patients with CAP hospitalised to non-intensive care unit (ICU) wards in minimizing selective antibiotic pressure while maintaining patient safety. Study design: Cluster-randomised controlled trial with historical control period. Study population: Adult patients (\>=18 years old) with a clinical diagnosis of CAP requiring hospitalisation to a non-ICU ward. Intervention: Intervention arm 1: availability of PoC-PCR during the ER visit; intervention arm 2: performing low-dose CT from the ER or at least within 24 hours; control arm: standard care. Main study parameters/endpoints: The primary effectiveness outcome is days of therapy of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The primary safety outcome, on which the sample size is calculated, is 90-day all-cause mortality. Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: There are no risks associated with performing the PoC-PCR and the radiation of the low-dose CT is of negligible risk. Nasopharyngeal swab collection causes a temporary unpleasant sensation. The low-dose CT can reveal unexpected findings which may require additional diagnostic procedures, for which the treating physician will use state-of-the-art guidelines. Treatment recommendations to de-escalate or stop antibiotic treatment may be beneficial for the individual patient by minimising exposure to antibiotics and improve targeted use of antibiotics. Final decisions are always made by the treating physician taking into account all clinical information.

Trial Health

57
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Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
3,555

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Nov 2017

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

7 active sites

Status
terminated

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 27, 2017

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

November 27, 2017

Completed
7 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

December 4, 2017

Completed
2.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

June 24, 2020

Completed
8 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 1, 2021

Completed
Last Updated

May 21, 2021

Status Verified

May 1, 2021

Enrollment Period

2.6 years

First QC Date

October 27, 2017

Last Update Submit

May 18, 2021

Conditions

Keywords

Pneumonialow-dose CTlow-dose computed tomographypoint of care testingmultiplex PCRlower respiratory tract infectionantibiotic stewardship

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

  • Days of therapy of broad-spectrum antibiotics

    Days of treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics during index admission. This will include antibiotic prescriptions provided at discharge.

    throughout hospitalization, an average of 7 days

  • All-cause mortality

    All-cause mortality within 90 days of admission.

    90 days

Secondary Outcomes (8)

  • days of therapy with any antibiotic

    throughout hospitalization, an average of 7 days

  • all-cause mortality

    30 days

  • length of hospital stay

    throughout hospitalization, an average of 7 days

  • adverse outcomes

    90 days

  • time to results

    throughout hospitalization, an average of 7 days

  • +3 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (3)

Low-dose CT

EXPERIMENTAL

A low-dose chest CT-scan will be performed either directly from the ER or from the medical ward as soon as possible but within 24 hours of admission. The CT will be performed with a radiation dose \<0.5 mSv for a 70kg patient, as a replacement or in addition to the chest radiograph. Pregnancy will be an exclusion criterion for CT because of unwanted radiation exposure. CT interpretation will be performed by a radiologist. Test results will be communicated to the treating physician. Recommendations based on the CT may be to discontinue antibiotics in case of a noninfectious diagnosis that explains the presented signs and symptoms and to start treatment for the alternative diagnosis if needed, or to re-evaluate the CAP diagnosis if no signs of lobar or bronchopneumonia are detected on the CT.

Diagnostic Test: low-dose CT

PoC-PCR

EXPERIMENTAL

The FilmArray real-time multiplex PCR (Biofire; bioMérieux) is a Point-of-Care PCR with a panel of respiratory viruses (adenovirus, coronavirus, human metapneumovirus, human rhinovirus/enterovirus, influenza A and B, parainfluenza virus, and respiratory syncytial virus), and three atypical pathogens (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and Bordetella pertussis), which will be performed on nasopharyngeal swab samples. Test results will be made available to the treating physician immediately. The treatment recommendation could be adaptation of antibiotic treatment for a documented atypical pathogen, a recommendation to not start or discontinue antibiotics when a virus is the only detected pathogen, or a recommendation to discontinue coverage of atypical pathogens.

Diagnostic Test: PoC-PCR

Standard care

NO INTERVENTION

All hospitals will continue the antibiotic stewardship activities employed during the baseline period as part of standard care. A representative of the Antibiotics-team (Team consisting of clinical microbiologists, infectious diseases specialist and clinical pharmacists supervising in-hospital antibiotic use) will monitor the empirical antibiotic treatment of patients hospitalized with CAP to non-ICU wards and provide feedback if indicated.

Interventions

low-dose CTDIAGNOSTIC_TEST

see arm/group description

Low-dose CT
PoC-PCRDIAGNOSTIC_TEST

see arm/group description

PoC-PCR

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • aged 18 years or above;
  • working diagnosis of CAP at the emergency department with the presence of at least two clinical criteria or one clinical criterion and radiological evidence of CAP, with no other explanation for the signs and symptoms;
  • requiring hospitalisation to a non-ICU ward via the ER.

You may not qualify if:

  • Hospitalisation for two or more days in the last 14 days;
  • Residence in a long-term care facility in the last 14 days;
  • History of cystic fibrosis;
  • Severe immunodeficiency

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (7)

Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep

Alkmaar, Netherlands

Location

Amphia Ziekenhuis

Breda, Netherlands

Location

Catharina Ziekenhuis

Eindhoven, Netherlands

Location

Ter Gooi Ziekenhuis

Hilversum, Netherlands

Location

University Medical Center

Utrecht, Netherlands

Location

Maxima MC

Veldhoven, Netherlands

Location

Langeland Ziekenhuis

Zoetermeer, Netherlands

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Community-Acquired PneumoniaPneumonia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Community-Acquired InfectionsInfectionsRespiratory Tract InfectionsRespiratory Tract DiseasesLung Diseases

Study Officials

  • Marc JM Bonten, MD, PhD

    University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Model Details: Parallel cluster-randomised trial with historical control period
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Professor of molecular epidemiology of infectious diseases, head of department of medical microbiology

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 27, 2017

First Posted

December 4, 2017

Study Start

November 27, 2017

Primary Completion

June 24, 2020

Study Completion

March 1, 2021

Last Updated

May 21, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-05

Locations