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Point-of-care Testing of Respiratory Pathogens at Pediatric Emergency Room

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Respiratory Tract Infections
Registration Number
NCT03932942
Lead Sponsor
University of Oulu
Brief Summary

The main objective of the trial is to evaluate the effect of point-of-care testing of respiratory pathogens at a pediatric emergency room on the antibiotic consumption and hospital admissions in acutely ill children.

Detailed Description

The study is a randomized controlled trial including children 0 up to 17 years of age with fever or acute respiratory infection at a pediatric emergency department in university hospital. In total 1668 subjects will be randomly allocated to undergo point-of-care multiplex respiratory pathogen testing with results ready within approximately one hour or to a control group with testing according to clinical judgement and results ready within next office day. Subjects will be randomized on admission and unequal allocation ratio of 2:1 (1112 subjects to intervention and 556 subjects to control arm) will be used. Data on rate of hospitalization, antibiotic prescriptions, ancillary testing and length of visit will be collected using medical record system.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
1350
Inclusion Criteria
  • Any respiratory symptom defined as tachypnea, shortness of breath, apnea, wheezing, cough, rhinitis, croup, sneezing, ear ache, or sore throat AND/OR
  • Fever > 38.0 C
Exclusion Criteria
  • Need of resuscitation at emergency room
  • Need of immediate transfer to pediatric intensive care unit

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Proportion of children with antibiotic prescription at emergency roomUp to 1 day after study entry

Antibiotic consumption at emergency room

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Proportion of children receiving correct pathogen directed therapy0-7 days after study entry

Antimicrobial use for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, pertussis and influenza

Proportion of children with antibiotics in one week0-7 days after study entry

Antimicrobial prescription rate

Proportion of children receiving macrolide antibiotic at pediatric emergency roomUp to 1 day after study entry

Among all children randomized

Proportion of infants aged < 3 months receiving macrolide antibiotic at pediatric emergency roomUp to 1 day after study entry

Among all children randomized

Proportion of children admitted to hospital0-7 days after study entry

Hospital admissions

Proportion of children with readmission to hospital or revisit at emergency room0-7 days after study entry

Proportion of children with hospital readmission or emergency room revisit within 7 days after discharge from ED or hospital

Proportion of children with outpatient telephone contact within 7 days after discharge from emergency room0-7 days

Outpatient telephone contact within 7 days after discharge from emergency room

Number of diagnostic tests per child other than point-of-care test performed within one week0-7 days after discharge

Ancillary laboratory testing

Number of other diagnostic tests than point-of-care test performed at emergency roomUp to 1 day after study entry

Number and cost of diagnostic tests such as blood culture, blood chemistry

Proportion of children with admission to pediatric intensive care unit or intensive care unit0-30 days

Admission to pediatric intensive care unit or intensive care unit

Proportion of children who died within one month after study entry0-30 days

Mortality

Cost in euros per child per visits0-7 days after study entry

Visit associated cost (euros)

Length of stay at emergency room in minutesUp to 1 day after study entry

Mean length of visit at emergency room (minutes)

Time to initiation of correct pathogen directed therapy0-7 days after study entry

Antimicrobials for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, pertussis and influenza (minutes)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Pediatrics, Oulu University Hospital

🇫🇮

Oulu, Finland

Department of Pediatrics, Oulu University Hospital
🇫🇮Oulu, Finland

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