Clinical Research Directory

Pediatric Antibiotic Dosing in Extracorporal Membrane Oxygenation (PADECMO)

Pharmacokinetics of antibiotics in critically ill neonates, infants and children on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Antibiotic Dosing in Pediatric Intensive Care

Pharmacokinetics of antibiotics in critically ill neonates, infants and children

Vancomycin Reduction Practices (VRP) in the NICU

This multi-center, cluster randomized study aimed at improving implementation of vancomycin reducing practices (VRP) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Sites will be recruited and randomized to receive either external facilitation or no external facilitation to assess the effect on center-level fidelity to the core components of VRP implementation. Interventions available to both study arms are directed at hospital staff and includes identification of local champions, educational outreach, unit-level audit \& feedback, and use of a clinical decision support tool.

STOP-CDI: Efficacy of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation vs Fidaxomicin vs Vancomycin in Treating and Preventing Relapse of Clostridioides Difficile Infection

The STOP-CDI study is a multicenter, randomized, open-label, three-arm clinical trial comparing the efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) preceded by vancomycin, fidaxomicin monotherapy, and standard-of-care vancomycin in preventing recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in high-risk adult patients. CDI is a common healthcare-associated infection with rising incidence and high recurrence rates, particularly in elderly and immunocompromised individuals. While current guidelines recommend fidaxomicin as first-line therapy, its availability and reimbursement remain limited in some healthcare systems. FMT, although effective, is not widely implemented as first-line treatment. This study addresses the need for comparative, real-world data to inform treatment decisions for patients at high risk of severe or recurrent CDI. Eligible participants include adults aged ≥65 years or younger patients with specific risk factors such as multiple comorbidities, prior CDI episodes, recent hospitalization, use of non-CDI antibiotics, or PPI therapy. Participants will be randomized in a 2:1:1 ratio to one of three treatment arms: (1) vancomycin plus FMT, (2) fidaxomicin, or (3) vancomycin alone. FMT is administered via capsules or, if necessary, alternative endoscopic routes. The primary endpoint is CDI recurrence within 12 weeks following the initial treatment. Secondary endpoints include clinical cure, safety, and global cure. Exploratory analyses will assess microbiome changes and potential genomic predictors of response. A total of 424 participants will be enrolled across 10 clinical sites in Poland. The study aims to provide robust, comparative evidence to support clinical guidelines and improve outcomes for patients with CDI, particularly in healthcare systems with limited access to novel therapies.

First Time Right of Vancomycin

In 2020, only 16% of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients achieved therapeutic drug concentrations after continuous administration of the first vancomycin dose. Many beneficial population pharmacokinetic (PPK) models are available however these are prevented from being widely implemented in daily practice due to the complexity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of individualized dosing with PPK models using a newly developed user-friendly pharmacokinetic (PK) tool. In a preceding retrospective study, the percentage of patients within the target range after initiation of continuous vancomycin increased from 28% to 39% (excluding CRRT and ECMO patients) with calculated concentrations based on theoretical dose adjustments. In this study we want to prospectively evaluate the concentration of vancomycin at 24, 28 and 72 hours after the start of treatment with individualized dosages based on (a combination) of available PPK models in 134 adult ICU and orthopedic patients.