Influenza
Conditions
Keywords
antiviral, oseltamivir
Brief summary
A multi-centre, randomized, placebo controlled, trial. Participants will be patients either ≥65 years or with one or more high risk conditions presenting to one of four academic emergency departments in Edmonton or Calgary with influenza-like illness. The investigators will test for influenza using a point-of-care rapid test and if positive for influenza participants will be randomized to oseltamivir or placebo and followed prospectively. The primary outcome will be hospitalization.
Interventions
Those randomized to the intervention will receive oseltamivir 75 mg orally twice daily for 5 days within 72 hours of symptom onset. For patients with a known creatinine clearance \< 10 ml/min, the recommended dose of 75mg orally daily for 5 days of either intervention or placebo will be administered.
Those randomized to the control arm will receive 75mg placebo calcium carbonate pills taken twice daily for five days within 72 hours of symptom onset and will be identical in appearance to oseltamivir. For patients with a known creatinine clearance \< 10 ml/min, the recommended dose of 75mg orally daily for 5 days of either intervention or placebo will be administered.
Sponsors
Study design
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* Outpatient at the University of Alberta Hospital, the Northeast Community Centre, Foothills Medical Centre, Rockyview General Hospital emergency departments * ≥ 18 years of age * ≥ 65 years of age OR chronic cardiac or pulmonary disorders (including bronchopulmonary dysplasia, cystic fibrosis, and asthma) , diabetes mellitus and other metabolic diseases, cancer, immunodeficiency, immunosuppression (due to underlying disease and/or therapy), renal disease, anemia, and hemoglobinopathy, any condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk of aspiration * Acute respiratory infection (ARI) exhibiting 2 or more symptoms, onset within last 72 hours * Laboratory confirmation of influenza infection, onset within last 72 hours
Exclusion criteria
* Contraindication to oseltamivir (i.e., previous anaphylaxis) * Resident of a nursing home * Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) 1 * Blood pressure \< 90 mmHg * Respiratory rate \>30 breaths per minute * PaO2 less \<88% * Confusion * Inability to eat or drink * Radiographic evidence of pneumonia
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Non-elective Hospitalizations (number of hospitalizations) | 28 days |
| Length of non-elective hospitalization (days) | 28 days |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Acute Sinusitis (number of episodes of acute sinusitis) | 28 Days |
| New antimicrobial prescription (number of antimicrobial prescriptions) | 28 Days |
| Medical visits for acute respiratory illness (number of medical visits) | 28 Days |
| Death | 3 months |
| Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), (number of LRTIs) | 28 days |
| Admission to intensive or critical care unit (number of admissions) | 28 days |
| Duration of stay in intensive or critical care unit (days) | 28 days |
| Need for mechanical ventilation (number of mechanical ventilation) | 28 days |
| Duration of mechanical ventilation (days) | 28 days |
| Adverse Events (number of adverse events) | 5 days |
| Pneumonia (number of episodes of pneumonia) | 28 days |
Countries
Canada