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Management of Acute Bronchitis With Pelargonium Sidoides Extract

Not Applicable
Conditions
Acute Bronchitis
Interventions
Other: usual care
Other: Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630
Registration Number
NCT05916768
Lead Sponsor
University of Fribourg
Brief Summary

The aim of our study is to conduct a pragmatic RCT meeting all required standards to evaluate the effectiveness of Pelargonium sidoides extract, EPs® 7630, in the management of acute bronchitis with or without COVID-19 in PCP practices and walk-in clinics in French-speaking Switzerland. The RCT will be preceded by a pilot phase to ensure its feasibility.

Detailed Description

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630, also known under the brand name Kaloba®, in the management of acute bronchitis.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Is Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630 effective to reduce the severity and the duration of symptoms related to acute bronchitis ?

* Does Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630 allow to reduce the prescription of antibiotics?

Participants will be randomize 1:1 either in the control group (usual care) or in the intervention group (Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630).

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
412
Inclusion Criteria
  • Adult patients (aged 18 and over) consulting for the first time, for the same episode, either for an acute cough (≤8 days) as the main symptom, suggestive of acute bronchitis, or for an illness (≤8 days) in which cough is not the main symptom but PCP believes that acute bronchitis is the most likely diagnosis.
  • Patients tested positive to COVID-19 who meet the above-mentioned criteria will be included too.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Infection requiring antibiotic treatment (ex. cystic fibrosis)
  • Pneumonia
  • Known hypersensitivity to Pelargonium sidoides extract or excipients of the trial medication
  • Non-infectious causes (COPD, asthma, pulmonary embolism, heart failure, gastroesophageal reflux, allergy)
  • Lacking the faculty of discernment (for example: dementia, decompensated psychosis or severe depression)
  • Inability to fill out the diary (no ability to read and understand French)
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Immunological deficiencies
  • Hospitalization
  • Severe hepatic disease
  • Patients who have already started a treatment with Pelargonium sidoides EPs® 7630 for this current episode (Kaloba®, Umckaloabo®)
  • Important risk of bleeding (severe thrombocytopenia and anticoagulant intake)
  • If the patient is taking a drug among these classes of drugs:

anticoagulants, immunosuppressants, chemotherapy or immunotherapy

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Control groupusual careUsual care. Reference therapies, which are classified as symptomatic treatments, are chosen freely by the PCP except for phytotherapy
Intervention groupPelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630The solution of Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630: 3x30 drops/day for 7 days and will be advised to pursue the treatment until the end of symptoms if bothered by the cough up to a maximum of 21 days.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Effectiveness of Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 763022 days

Effectiveness will be determined by comparing the number of days needed to achieve a 50% reduction in the ABSS score after peak of symptoms in each group.

Proportion of patients taking antibiotics22 days

The co-medication, including antibiotics, will be collected by the investigator at day 4, 8 and 22. The results will be compared between the two arms.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Integration of a herbal medicinal product in conventional settings22 days

Proportion of primary care physicians (PCPs) who agreed to participate in the study

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Fribourg

🇨🇭

Fribourg, Switzerland

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