Clinical Research Directory

Effectiveness and Implementation of a National Guideline for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections to Reduce Antibiotic Prescribing in Swiss Primary Care

The ImpProGUIDE study aims to find out whether implementing new Swiss national guidelines for acute respiratory infections (ARI) can help to reduce antibiotic prescribing in primary care. In Switzerland, most antibiotics are prescribed in outpatient care, and many of these prescriptions may not be needed - especially when infections are caused by viruses, which antibiotics do not treat. Reducing overuse of antibiotics is important to slow the spread of antibiotic resistance. The new guidelines were developed by the Swiss Society for Infectious Diseases (SSI) to support family doctors in managing ARIs, based on a syndromic approach. They recommend the targeted use of point-of-care C-reactive protein (CRP) testing when bacterial infection is suspected, as well as shared decision-making with patients. This study will be carried out in quality circles (QCs) - small groups of family doctors who meet regularly to discuss and improve clinical practice - and in walk-in clinics in French- and Italian-speaking regions of Switzerland. Each will be randomly assigned to either an "intervention" group or a "control" group. In the intervention group, QC moderators and medical center directors will receive implementation resources to lead a session and distribute materials to their group in autumn 2025 on the new guidelines. Doctors can then decide whether or not to use the recommendations in their consultations. In the control group, QCs and centers will continue their regular activities. They will receive access to the same educational materials later, in summer 2026. Throughout the study, the researchers will collect de-identified data from health insurance billing records to track antibiotic prescribing and the use of diagnostic tests. Doctors and QC moderators will also be invited to complete short online surveys twice a year (10-15 minutes) and may be asked to join optional interviews or group discussions after the winter season. The study will also explore the effectiveness of the implementation strategies on the adoption of the SSI guidelines, as well as the barriers and facilitators to adoption. This study type is known as a hybrid effectiveness implementation study, simultaneously evaluating an intervention's impact on antibiotic prescribing and the strategies used to implement the new national guidelines in a real-world setting. Participation in the study is voluntary. Doctors can withdraw at any time. All data will be handled confidentially and in line with Swiss data protection laws. The study is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. No support is received from pharmaceutical companies or manufacturers of diagnostic tests.

ORCHARDS-AIR Study

The purpose of this observational study is to compare the effectiveness of air surveillance and to better understand the relationship between household transmission and viruses detected in the air. Participants will provide nasal swabs and have an air sample surveillance device installed in their home.

Rapid Diagnosis of Viral Acute Respiratory Infection to Decrease Unnecessary Antibiotic Utilization in the Emergency Department (RADIATE)

The study titled " The Effect of Definitive Identification of Viral Etiology in Emergency Department Patients with Acute Respiratory Infection on Antibiotic Utilization (RADIATE)" aims to investigate the effectiveness of a rapid diagnostic approach in reducing unnecessary antibiotic use in the emergency department (ED) for patients presenting with acute respiratory illness (ARI) due to a virus. Using a prospective design, eligible participants are individuals who visit the ED with complaints related to acute respiratory illness. The study will employ a single-arm consecutive enrollment approach. The intervention involves the implementation of a rapid point-of-care multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to promptly identify the viral cause of the infection. By utilizing a rapid diagnostic tool to identify viral etiology, the study aims to provide healthcare professionals in the ED with more accurate information to guide treatment decisions. Ultimately, the goal is to decrease the unnecessary use of antibiotics for ARI's due to a virus, which has several negative outcomes including promotion of antibiotic resistance, exacerbating ED length of stay and encouraging unnecessary additional diagnostic tests.

POS-ARI-ER Observational Study of Acute Respiratory Infections

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are one of the most frequent reasons for hospital admission and antibiotic use, and can be caused by a broad range of pathogens, including respiratory viruses with proven epidemic potential, e.g. influenza and coronaviruses. The POS-ARI-ER study will focus on describing the different routine diagnostic and therapeutic practices in the work-up and treatment of ARI, as well as clinical outcomes across the patient population. In addition, POS-ARI-ER aims to characterise both the adult patient population with ARI presenting to acute hospital settings in Europe, and the aetiology of ARI in these patients.

Signature of the Host Response to a Respiratory Viral Infection, in the Prediction of Bronchiolitis Obliterans

Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is the well-known manifestation of the chronic pulmonary graft-versus-host disease(GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The pathophysiology of BO is, however, poorly known. The available data strongly support the role of respiratory viruses, in particular paramyxoviruses (parainfluenzae virus (PIV), respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus). It is likely that the alloimmune response triggered by the respiratory virus is inadequate and leads to the peribronchiolar fibrotic process. The objective is to analyze the kinetics of profiles of the blood and respiratory host responses resulting from a high or low parainfluenza respiratory infection, in order to evaluate if the occurrence of a BO is associated with a specific signature We will evaluate the predictive signature of a BO after a parainfluenza virus infection by characterizing the differences between the patients evolving and those not evolving to a BO at 2 months after the infection.

Efficacy and Safety of XC8, Film-coated Tablets, in Children With Acute Respiratory Viral Infections

The study is planned to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of XC8, film-coated tablets, in the treatment of dry non-productive cough on the background of acute respiratory infections in children from 6 to 17 years compared with placebo.

Isotonic Saline for Children With Bronchiolitis

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to investigate the optimal supportive treatment of bronchiolitis in infants from 0-12 months of age. The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are: * To investigate whether isotonic saline should be used as supportive treatment for children with bronchiolitis, and if so, identify the optimal route of administration. The primary outcome is duration of hospitalization. * To investigate the current epidemiology of the viral pathogens causing bronchitis in children in Denmark, and to assess whether children infected with specific pathogens might benefit from treatment with isotonic saline. The children are randomized after inclusion through computer randomization to one of the 3 arms in the study: 1. Nebulized isotonic saline 2. Nasal irrigation with isotonic saline 3. No treatment with saline The investigators will compare treatment with saline (both methods) with no treatment, and the investigators will also compare the two methods of delivery of saline (nebulized vs. nasal irrigation).