An Algorithm to Decide on Antibiotic Prescription in Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in Primary Care

NCT ID: NCT03191071

Last Updated: 2020-07-17

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

469 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-09-01

Study Completion Date

2020-04-30

Brief Summary

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The study is randomized clustered pragmatic trial whose objective is to decrease unnecessary antibiotic prescription in adult patients with lower respiratory tract infection managed at primary care level in Switzerland, using a simple algorithm based on 2 point of care test results

Detailed Description

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The study will have two distinct phases:

The first phase will test the feasibility of the intervention (UltraPro) along a pilot study. Following the setup of a lung ultrasound training curriculum for general practitioners, the practicality of the whole UltraPro algorithm will be evaluated at primary care level.

The second phase will be a pragmatic randomized three-arm intervention study using an algorithm based on the results of procalcitonin and lung ultrasound to manage patients with lower respiratory tract infections at primary care level. The procalcitonin-ultrasound algorithm will be compared to procalcitonin-guided management alone and usual care.

Conditions

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Lower Resp Tract Infection

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Randomized clustered pragmatic trial
Primary Study Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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UltraPro

General practitioners randomly assigned to the UltraPro arm will be responsible to recruit patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria and manage them using the UltraPro algorithm.

The UltraPro algorithm combines the result of a procalcitonin point-of-care test with lung ultrasound result to decide on antibiotic prescription. Blood sampling will be performed to identify potential novel biomarkers. Naso-pharyngeal swabs as well as sputum culture will allow for microbiologic identification of aetiological agents.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

UltraPro

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

First, procalcitonin will be measured using a rapid point-of-care test. In case of elevated procalcitonin result (≥0.25 µg/L), a lung ultrasound will be performed to look for the presence of a lung infiltrate or consolidation suggesting the presence of community acquired pneumonia. A portable ultrasound machine with a convex probe, that will be provided to the general practitioner by the study, will be used.

The lung ultrasound will be done following international evidence-based recommendations for point-of-care lung ultrasound using the basic eight-region sonographic technique and the criteria for positive scan and positive examination for the diagnosis of pneumonia .

Blood sampling

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

A venous blood sample (17.5 mL) will be collected. Whole blood and plasma will be stored at - 80°C. Further analysis will be performed in order to identify novel biomarkers and gene transcription patterns that could predict the necessity of antibiotic prescription or the severity of disease.

Naso-pharyngeal swab and sputum culture

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

A pooled nasal swab will be performed and sputum will be collected. Samples will be stored at -80°C. Further analysis of the naso-pharyngeal swab and cultures of sputum will be performed to identify by molecular techniques pathogens implicated in the clinical presentation.

Procalcitonin

General practitioners randomly assigned to the procalcitonin arm will be responsible to recruit patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria and manage them using the procalcitonin algorithm.

The procalcitonin point-of-care test will be performed, as described above, to decide on antibiotic prescription. Blood sampling will be performed to identify potential novel biomarkers. Naso-pharyngeal swabs as well as sputum culture will allow for microbiologic identification of aetiological agents.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Procalcitonin

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Procalcitonin will be measured using a rapid point-of-care test

Blood sampling

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

A venous blood sample (17.5 mL) will be collected. Whole blood and plasma will be stored at - 80°C. Further analysis will be performed in order to identify novel biomarkers and gene transcription patterns that could predict the necessity of antibiotic prescription or the severity of disease.

Naso-pharyngeal swab and sputum culture

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

A pooled nasal swab will be performed and sputum will be collected. Samples will be stored at -80°C. Further analysis of the naso-pharyngeal swab and cultures of sputum will be performed to identify by molecular techniques pathogens implicated in the clinical presentation.

Usual Care

General practitioners randomly assigned to the usual care arm will be responsible to recruit patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria and will manage and treat these patients as they usually do. Only general practitioners who do not use procalcitonin and lung ultrasonography routinely will be included in the usual care arm.

Naso-pharyngeal swabs as well as sputum culture will be performed to allow for microbiologic identification of aetiological agents.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Naso-pharyngeal swab and sputum culture

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

A pooled nasal swab will be performed and sputum will be collected. Samples will be stored at -80°C. Further analysis of the naso-pharyngeal swab and cultures of sputum will be performed to identify by molecular techniques pathogens implicated in the clinical presentation.

Interventions

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UltraPro

First, procalcitonin will be measured using a rapid point-of-care test. In case of elevated procalcitonin result (≥0.25 µg/L), a lung ultrasound will be performed to look for the presence of a lung infiltrate or consolidation suggesting the presence of community acquired pneumonia. A portable ultrasound machine with a convex probe, that will be provided to the general practitioner by the study, will be used.

The lung ultrasound will be done following international evidence-based recommendations for point-of-care lung ultrasound using the basic eight-region sonographic technique and the criteria for positive scan and positive examination for the diagnosis of pneumonia .

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Procalcitonin

Procalcitonin will be measured using a rapid point-of-care test

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Blood sampling

A venous blood sample (17.5 mL) will be collected. Whole blood and plasma will be stored at - 80°C. Further analysis will be performed in order to identify novel biomarkers and gene transcription patterns that could predict the necessity of antibiotic prescription or the severity of disease.

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Naso-pharyngeal swab and sputum culture

A pooled nasal swab will be performed and sputum will be collected. Samples will be stored at -80°C. Further analysis of the naso-pharyngeal swab and cultures of sputum will be performed to identify by molecular techniques pathogens implicated in the clinical presentation.

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Informed Consent as documented by signature (Informed Consent Form)
* Patients aged 18 years or more
* No antibiotics prescribed for the current episode
* Acute cough of up to 21 days duration and at least one of the following symptom or sign:
* History of fever for more than 4 days
* dyspnoea
* tachypnoea (≥ 22 cycles per minutes)
* abnormal focal finding during auscultation

Exclusion Criteria

* Previous prescription of antibiotics for the current episode
* Working diagnosis of acute sinusitis or a non-infective disorder
* Cystic fibrosis
* Previous episode of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation treated with antibiotics during the last 6 months
* Known pregnancy
* Severe immunodeficiency (untreated HIV infection with CD4 count \< 200 cells/mm3, solid organ transplant receiver, neutropenia, treatment with corticosteroids with dose equivalent to 20 mg prednisone/day for \> 28
* Admission of the patient
* GP not available for performing study
* Patient unable to provide informed consent
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Dr Boillat-Blanco Noemie

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Noémie Boillat, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois

Locations

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Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois

Lausanne, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland

Site Status

Countries

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Switzerland

References

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Geis D, Canova N, Lhopitallier L, Kronenberg A, Meuwly JY, Senn N, Mueller Y, Fasseur F, Boillat-Blanco N. Exploration of the Acceptance of the Use of Procalcitonin Point-of-Care Testing and Lung Ultrasonography by General Practitioners to Decide on Antibiotic Prescriptions for Lower Respiratory Infections: A Qualitative Study. BMJ Open. 2023 May 11;13(5):e063922. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063922.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37169498 (View on PubMed)

Lhopitallier L, Kronenberg A, Meuwly JY, Locatelli I, Mueller Y, Senn N, D'Acremont V, Boillat-Blanco N. Procalcitonin and lung ultrasonography point-of-care testing to determine antibiotic prescription in patients with lower respiratory tract infection in primary care: pragmatic cluster randomised trial. BMJ. 2021 Sep 21;374:n2132. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n2132.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34548312 (View on PubMed)

Lhopitallier L, Kronenberg A, Meuwly JY, Locatelli I, Dubois J, Marti J, Mueller Y, Senn N, D'Acremont V, Boillat-Blanco N. Procalcitonin and lung ultrasonography point-of-care testing to decide on antibiotic prescription in patients with lower respiratory tract infection in primary care: protocol of a pragmatic cluster randomized trial. BMC Pulm Med. 2019 Aug 6;19(1):143. doi: 10.1186/s12890-019-0898-3.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 31387559 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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SNF 407240_167133/1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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