SACU: Clinical Trials & Studies
SACU is involved in a number of clinical trials & studies with collaborators that include The University of Oxford, The University of Bristol, Cardiff University, The University of Southampton, South East Wales Trials Unit and King's College, London.
Clinical trials and studies that SACU is involved in are listed below:
Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection in the Young (DUTY)
A UK wide study to accurately identify pre-school children in whom a urine sample should be obtained; assess whether dipstick urinalysis provides additional diagnostic information; and model the cost-effectiveness of the algorithms.
SACU performed a central laboratory role, processing >6000 urines using a specialist research protocol. The study is currently in the data analysis phase with a number of manuscripts published or in progress.
See: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/social-community-medicine/people/project/1629
Probiotics for Antibiotic Associated Diarrhoea (PAAD)
A Wales wide study to determine baseline C. difficile & antimicrobial resistant organism prevalence in Care Homes; assessment of probiotics on antimicrobial prescribing.
SACU performed a central laboratory role, detecting C. difficile & prevalence of antimicrobial resistant organisms. The study is currently in the data analysis phase with a number of manuscripts published or in progress.
Blood Stream Infection – Focus On Outcome (BSIFOO)
A UK wide study assessing the impact of rapid diadiagnostics in the microbiology laboratory on outcome of patients with blood stream infections.
SACU participated as one of six laboratories, identifying organisms from positive blood cultures directly using the MALDI-ToF MS instrument.
See: http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN09804912
Meningococcal Carriage Survey (MenCar4)
A UK wide study determining the prevalence of N. meningitidis in young people.
SACU participated in the study, detecting N. meningitidis in >3000 throat swabs. The study is currently in data analysis phase.
See: http://www.ukmencar4.org/what-is-the-study-about.html
Resistance in Gram Negative Organisms - Studying Intervention Strategies (R-GNOSIS)
RGNOSIS is a large Europe wide collaborative focussing on multi drug resistant Gram negative organisms. It is split into different workpackages (WP):
WP2: Point of Care Testing in UTI in Primary Care (POETIC): Evaluating a point of care test (POCT) for use in adult women presenting in primary care with suspected uncomplicated UTI. The POCT will provide clinicians, at the point of care, within 24 hours, with a diagnosis of bacterial UTI and resistance profiles of any identified pathogen to the antibiotics most commonly used for UTI in primary care. The study will determine whether or not this information aids clinicians to more appropriately prescribe antimicrobials.
SACU performed a central laboratory role for the UK NHS participating laboratories, processing ~ 1000 urines and faeces; identifying and susceptibility testing pathogenic bacteria. Analysis of the point of care test in comparison with GPs was also performed. The study is currently in the data analysis phase with some papers published.
See: http://medicine.cardiff.ac.uk/clinical-study/poetic/
WP6 Ecological Effects of Decolonisation Strategies in Intensive Care: Evaluation of gut decolonisation strategies for Intensive Care patients; with a focus on Multi Drug Resistance in Gram negative bacteria. This study aims to compare gut decolonisation strategies with a focus of Multi Drug Resistance in Gram negative bacteria.
SACU performs a central laboratory role for Cardiff ITU, processing faecal and respiratory samples and identifying antimicrobial resistant organisms. The study is currently ongoing.
General Practitioner (GP) use of a C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Point of Care Test (POCT) to help target antibiotic prescribing to patients with Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD) who are most likely to benefit (The PACE Study)
PACE is two stage study, a pilot based in Wales and a larger study based UK wide.
SACU provide the central laboratory role for this study, processing >750 respiratory and throat swab samples. Identification of pathogenic bacteria and detection of antimicrobial resistance will be performed. This study is currently at the pilot phase.
See: http://medicine.cardiff.ac.uk/clinical-study/pace/
Probiotic and vitamin D to Reduce Infections iN CarE home Service userS (PRINCESS)
Probiotic and vitamin D to Reduce Infections iN CarE home Service userS (PRINCESS): This UK wide study aims to evaluate daily oral probiotics in care home residents, either with high dose Vitamin D3 (Vit-D) or control dose Vit-D, to affect cumulative antibiotic prescription (CAPD) days for Common Infectious Diseases and colonisation with antimicrobial resistant bacteria.
SACU are to perform a central lab role, processing faeces & saliva, detecting C. difficile, Candida species & prevalence of antimicrobial resistant organisms. The levels of probiotic bacteria in faeces will also be determined.
This study is due to start in Autumn 2015.