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Oral Versus Intravenous Antibiotics for the Treatment of Pleural Space Infection: a Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Not Applicable
Conditions
Pleural Infection
Interventions
Drug: Antibiotics
Registration Number
NCT04301869
Lead Sponsor
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Brief Summary

We aim to conduct a pilot trial assessing oral versus intravenous therapy for pleural space infections.

Detailed Description

Pleural space infections are a frequent clinical problem resulting in significant morbidity and mortality as well as healthcare cost. Despite the increasing burden of disease, there are no clinical trials evaluating antibiotic therapy in pleural space infections. Hence, British and American guidelines are only able to provide weak and vague recommendations regarding duration, type or route (intravenous or oral) of antibiotic therapy. Our goal is to determine whether oral (PO) therapy is non-inferior to intravenous (IV) therapy thereby decreasing risks of IV catheter related infections, vein thrombosis and health care costs. Similar studies have been successfully conducted in the setting of bone/joint infections and endocarditis and showed non-inferiority of oral antibiotics. However, in order to help ensure that the randomized trial is of good quality, it is important to assess the feasibility of such a trial by first conducting a pilot study. The goal of this pilot trial is to assess the feasibility of the proposed study design.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
40
Inclusion Criteria
  • Must meet our study definition of pleural space infection
  • Age > or = 18 years old
  • Life expectancy > 1 year
  • Received intravenous or oral antibiotics for = or < 7 d from surgical intervention or received a total of = or < 7 d of antibiotics if no intervention performed
Exclusion Criteria
  • S. aureus bacteremia or endocarditis in the last 1 month
  • Another concomitant infection requiring prolonged IV antibiotics
  • Esophageal rupture or malignant pleural effusion
  • Septic shock or systemic features requiring IV antibiotics
  • Mycobacterial, fungal or parasitic pleural space infection
  • No oral antibiotic options available
  • Unlikely to comply with therapy

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Intravenous therapyAntibioticsIntravenous antibiotics administered for pleural space infection
Oral therapyAntibioticsOral antibiotics administered for pleural space infection
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Enrollment feasibility3 months

Proportion of eligible participants screened that are randomized within 5 days of initial intravenous antibiotic exposure

Completion feasibility3 months

Proportion of participants with follow-up at 4 weeks either through a clinic visit or phone call

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Antibiotic duration3 months

Duration of antibiotics with start date as the date of randomization

Hospitalization duration3 months

Duration of hospitalization

Stopping antibiotics3 months

Early termination of antibiotics due to patient intolerance, patient preference or any other reason.

IV line complications3 months

Infection, thrombosis or new line placement for IV catheter-related issues.

C. difficile3 months

Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea as per the accepted PIDAC definition

Mortality3 months

All-cause mortality at 3 months

Treatment failure3 months

Treatment failure at the 3-month clinical visit or phone conversation, defined as any of: (i) return to the emergency department for new fever, shortness of breath or progressive hypoxia OR (ii) radiological progression of empyema or development of a new abscess OR (iii) mortality related to pleural space infection. Treatment failure must be agreed upon by the majority of the adjudication committee.

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