Clinical Research Directory

BonE and Joint Infections - Simplifying Treatment in Children Trial

This is a multi- centre trial of children with bone and joint infections (BJIs) at eleven major paediatric hospitals in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. The primary objective is to establish if in children with acute, uncomplicated BJIs, entirely oral antibiotic treatment is not inferior to initial intravenous (IV) treatment for 1 to 7 days followed by an oral antibiotic course in achieving full recovery 3 months after presentation. Children will be randomly allocated to the 'entirely oral antibiotic' group or the 'standard treatment' group.

A Metagenomic Next-generation Sequencing (mNGS)-Guided Sequential Culture Strategy for Postoperative Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Infection (CLRI): a Retrospective Cohort Study

This retrospective cohort study evaluates a sequential diagnostic strategy for patients with postoperative cruciate ligament reconstruction infection (CLRI). Diagnosing these infections is often difficult because conventional laboratory cultures can easily miss fastidious or slow-growing microorganisms. This study investigates whether using a rapid DNA-based test called metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to guide and customize subsequent laboratory culture conditions can improve the detection rate of viable, live pathogens. The study includes 50 patients with CLRI and 30 patients with aseptic failure (non-infectious complications). The ultimate goal is to determine if this mNGS-guided modified culture strategy can help doctors identify the exact infection-causing germs more accurately, thereby allowing them to provide targeted, individualized antibiotic and surgical treatments.

Ultrasonography Assessment of Septic Arthritis on Native Joint

The aim of this trial is to study the interest of ultrasonography among patients with septic arthritis. Currently, ultrasonography is useful for detecting small fluid effusions, for examining otherwise inaccessible joints, such as the hip and for helping the joint aspiration. Accurate assessment of disease activity and joint damage in septic arthritis is important for monitoring treatment efficiency and for prediction of the outcome of the disease. Nowadays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides better resolution than radiography or tomography for the detection of joint effusion and for differentiation between bone and soft tissue infectious. The sensibility is reported to be nearly 100% with a specificity of more than 75%. However, MRI is expensive and not rapidly accessible. Therefore, ultrasonography, a non invasive, painless, inexpensive, and non radiating exam can be used to assess the presence and extent of inflammation, destruction, and tissue response. The objective is to describe, using ultrasonography, the abnormalities joint structure influenced the septic arthritis evolution and prognosis. The investigators hope, at the end of this study, to evaluate ultrasonography interest in septic arthritis and to establish ultrasonography prognosis factors to predict treatment efficiency and functional outcome.

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole vs. Clindamycin for the Treatment of Children With Invasive MRSA Infections

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) works to treat invasive infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in children. It will also learn about the safety of TMP-SMX in the treatment of children with invasive MRSA infections. The main questions it aims to answer are: -Is TMP-SMX effective at successfully treating children with invasive infections due to MRSA? What are the side effects of TMP-SMX in children taking it for invasive infections due to MRSA? Researchers will compare TMP-SMX to a clindamycin (a commonly prescribed antibiotic for the treatment of MRSA in children) to see if TMP-SMX works better, worse or the same as clindamycin for children with invasive infections due to MRSA. Participants will: Take TMP-SMX or clindamycin for the treatment of their invasive infection due to MRSA. Will follow up with the provider treating their invasive infection at the discretion of the treating provider. Keep a diary of their symptoms and any side effects of the medicine

Alpha-Defensin and Synovial Proteins to Improve Detection of Pediatric Septic Arthritis

Differentiating between septic arthritis and other causes of joint inflammation in pediatric patients is challenging and of the utmost importance because septic arthritis requires surgical debridement as part of the treatment regimen. The current gold standard to diagnose septic arthritis in children is a positive synovial fluid culture; however, joint cultures may take several days to return. If a bacterial infection is present, it requires immediate surgical intervention in order to prevent lasting articular cartilage damage. Frequently surgeons must decide whether to surgically debride a joint before culture results are available. There is no single lab test or clinical feature that reliably indicates bacterial infection over other causes of joint inflammation. The alpha-defensin assay has shown high sensitivity and specificity for joint infection in other studies.The purpose of this study is to determine the sensitivity and specificity of several synovial biomarkers for diagnosing pediatric septic arthritis.

Anchoring Sequential Intermittent Long Acting Antimicrobials With Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) for Invasive Infections Related to Opioid Use

Standard of care for patients with opioid use disorder and complicated infections is discharge to subacute nursing facilities on IV antibiotics until completion of treatment course. We aim to determine the efficacy of an alternative strategy using intermittent outpatient oritavancin therapy dosed weekly combined with initiation and continuation of medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder for completion of antimicrobial therapy in a 12 week prospective, open-label study. Patients hospitalized for a drug use related infection and thought to need prolonged parenteral antimicrobial therapy will be assessed by a substance use consultant and Infectious Diseases service. If they are not on Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), they will be assessed for initiation of MOUD. A collaborative multidisciplinary discharge planning process will be initiated and will involve linkage to care. If they have an infection with a gram positive organism, and are thought to be clinically stable for hospital discharge, they will be assessed for appropriateness for oritavancin and first dose will be administered prior to discharge. They will have an intake into an opioid treatment program where they can access collocated services and will be discharged with linkage to care through a peer recovery coach. They will be assessed in this collocated clinic post discharge for optimization of MOUD and progress of infection and subsequent dose/s of oritavancin will be administered. Patients will be followed for 12 weeks for cure/completion of therapy and MOUD outcomes.

Retention and Re-Engagement in Treatment for Addiction Following Serious Injection Related Infections (RETAIN)

This project is a pilot study of an adapted intervention of an existing Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment retention intervention called Recovery Management Checkups (RMC). This intervention has been adapted to better fit the experiences and unique issues of those that have been hospitalized with serious injection related infections (SIRI) based on the findings from a prior qualitative study from the principal investigator. This project plans to test the adapted intervention within a smaller group of participants to assess feasibility, acceptability, and calculate early findings of intervention efficacy. Hospitalizations for SIRIs are a unique entry point for patients to start their recovery journey with medications for OUD (MOUD), but many people do not remain on long-term treatment, despite evidence that indicates MOUDs reduce death and re-hospitalization after SIRIs. The study objectives are to: * Assess the implementation feasibility of the adapted RMC model for patients with SIRI and OUD. * Establish preliminary estimates of intervention efficacy. * Make further adaptions to the intervention that will reduce both known and unknown barriers to care and increase effectiveness in future larger scale trials. Findings from this pilot study will result in further intervention refinement to better fit the target population, and serve as the basis for a larger randomized control trial that will have aims focused on more in-depth analysis of the efficacy of this program

Prevalence of Pathogens in Synovial Fluid Obtained From Emergency Department Patients

This is a prospective, observational study of patients presenting to the emergency departments at 9 EMERGEncy ID NET sites. The objectives of the proposed study are to: 1. Describe the range and proportion of infectious agents in synovial fluid as detected by standard C\&S and investigational PCR testing, i.e., Biofire® Film Array® Bone and Joint Infection (BJI) Panel, 2. Describe the epidemiology of patients receiving diagnostic arthrocentesis and those diagnosed with septic arthritis in the emergency department (ED), 3. Determine the prevalence of septic arthritis in US ED patients presenting with an atraumatic painful swollen joint, and 4. Determine the clinical (history and physical examination) and laboratory characteristics of septic arthritis. 5. Determine the performance characteristics and concordance of synovial fluid PCR compared to culture, and project the impact of point-of-care PCR on patient management. Study coordinators screen the ED log for adult patients presenting with joint pain and whose treating physician ordered an arthrocentesis. After confirming eligibility, study coordinators approach the patient to explain the study, and present the written consent form. If the patient agrees to participate and consent, the study coordinator completes an enrollment data collection using patient and treating physician interview to gather responses. After enrollment, the study coordinator will ensure that approximately 0.3-1.0 mL of leftover synovial fluid is saved and stored in a freezer for shipment to a central laboratory (Truman Medical Center hospital laboratory, Kansas City, MO) for testing. Approximately 30 days after enrollment, study coordinators complete an electronic medical record (EMR) review.

Differentiate Children Septic and Inflammatory Arthritis by Comparative Analysis

The purpose is to found new biomarker that differentiate septic arthritis and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in children. Synovial liquid and blood samples with proteomic, MiRNA searching, multiplex cytokine analysis and cellular phenotyping, will be analysed. The results for each data will be compared in function of the disease to search discriminant markers. On behalf with this result specific pathways could be identified .

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Corticosteroids in Septic Arthritis in Adults

Septic arthritis is a severe infection associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite eradication of the microorganisms, persistent inflammation may lead to substantial long-term functional joint sequelae. The use of corticosteroids could reduce this inflammation, thereby improving functional joint outcomes and facilitating first-line medical treatment. The hypothesis of this study is that corticosteroid administration, in addition to antibiotic therapy, reduces persistent inflammation and improves functional joint prognosis in adult patients with acute septic arthritis.

Infrared Thermography for Diagnosis of Musculoskeletal Infections

This is a pilot proof of feasibility study to explore the efficacy of High Resolution Infrared Thermographic Imaging (HRTI) to assist with the detection of musculoskeletal infections in children. In HRTI, a sensitive thermal camera is used to capture the temperature profile of the suspected infected body region in the form of images. In this study, a 10-second video will be recorded to allow dynamic monitoring. The resulting video will be processed and interpreted to determine whether there is a musculoskeletal infection. Bone, joint and soft tissue infections can be caused by bacteria which can enter the body through accidental injuries, or because of surgery or implants. Once in the body, they circulate through the bloodstream until they reach a bone, joint, or muscle, multiply and cause infection. These conditions can cause significant complications in children and adults and can even result in death if untreated. Infections of the bone, called osteomyelitis can inhibit bone growth in children. As a result, children who have suffered from osteomyelitis may require extensive treatment later in childhood. While osteomyelitis accounts for only 1% of childhood hospital admissions, its incidence in children has increased in recent decades. This is associated with an increase in the prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria such as MRSA. Infections of the joint, called septic arthritis, is an emergency condition that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Long delays in diagnosis and surgical drainage of the joint may lead to irreversible damage to the cartilage and bone destruction. There is currently a need for improved technologies to screen for and monitor bone, joint, and soft tissue infections. Plain radiographs appear normal in the first 7 to 10 days of osteomyelitis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive modality for diagnosing osteomyelitis. However, MRI scans are costly their accessibility is limited, plus the scan can take 30 minutes to perform. As the child needs to be still during the scan, sedation is required. Infrared thermal imaging is a harmless, cost effective and rapid scanning method that has proven industrial applications such as condition monitoring of machineries and fault findings. There has also been extensive interest in utilising and this technology for medical diagnosis and monitoring. This study builds on our earlier work that used HRTI to detect inflammation in the abdomen in infants. This technology may allow timelier and more cost-effective diagnosis of the condition. Sheffield Children's Hospital and Sheffield Hallam University collaborate in conducting the study. The study will involve recruiting 30 patients at Sheffield Children's Hospital with suspected infection of either bone, joint or soft tissue. They will have their HRTI recorded and processed to follow up the study's research questions. The findings from the study will not alter the routine medical treatments of the patients and participation is voluntary.

Initial Oral Antibiotics for Bone and Joint Infections in Children

Initial oral antibiotic treatment for children and adolescents with uncomplicated bone and joint infections (BJI) has been found non-inferior to initial IV antibiotics in one randomized controlled trial (RCT). The real-world effectiveness of initial oral antibiotics for children and adolescents with BJI is unclear. This nationwide, prospective, multicenter, real-world cohort study aims to compare the effectiveness and safety of initial oral antibiotic treatment for children and adolescents with uncomplicated BJI in a real-world setting with those who received initial oral antibiotics in our RCT.

Diagnostic and Management of Hand Infection.

Primary or secondary (post-traumatic infections, notably related to bites, wounds, etc.) infections of the hand are very common situations, even if the epidemiology is poorly understood. For example, hand bite injuries represent 1.2 million referrals to the healthcare system per year in the United States. Their nosological framework extends from simple infections of the skin and soft tissues such as whitlows, to potentially severe deep damage such as arthritis and osteitis, or phlegmons of the tendon sheaths. The diagnostic approach is not consensual, and the contribution of additional biological parameters (inflammatory syndrome) and morphological investigations (x-rays, ultrasound, CT-scan or MRI) is not codified. Microbiology seems dominated by Staphylococcus aureus, but few studies have precisely described the microbial etiology. Consequently, probabilistic antibiotic therapy and the need to take bacteriological samples for secondary adaptation are not standardized. Likewise, surgical strategies (abstention, systematic washing or depending on evolution) remain operator dependent. We consequently aim to described diagnostic, management and related outcomes or hand infections in a specialized tertiary care center.