RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

POS-ARI-ER Observational Study of Acute Respiratory Infections

This study, called POS-ARI-ER, is looking at how adults in Europe are diagnosed and treated when they come to hospital with severe breathing and chest infections. These infections are a major reason people go to hospital and often lead to antibiotic use. The study wants to understand the different ways doctors check for and treat these infections, and what causes them. This includes viruses like flu and coronaviruses. By gathering information on patient care, outcomes, and the types of germs involved, researchers hope to find better ways to diagnose and treat these infections, and to reduce the problem of antibiotics not working as well.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

European Clinical Research Alliance for Infectious Diseases (ECRAID)

Enrolment target

11,750

Start

20 Jun 2023

Estimated completion

28 Feb 2026

Acute Respiratory Infection Acute Respiratory Tract Infection

What is this study about?

When you get a severe cold or a chest infection that makes it hard to breathe, sometimes you might need to go to hospital. These types of infections, called acute respiratory infections, are very common. Doctors need to quickly work out what's causing them and the best way to treat them. This is especially important as some infections are caused by viruses, like the flu or coronaviruses, while others might be bacterial, and different treatments are needed.

This study, called POS-ARI-ER, wants to understand the different ways hospitals across Europe are currently checking for and treating these severe breathing and chest infections in adults. They'll look at how doctors diagnose the infections, what medicines they prescribe, and how patients recover. By collecting this information, the researchers hope to get a clear picture of what's happening in real hospital settings.

Ultimately, the goal is to find better ways to quickly identify the cause of these infections and to use the most effective treatments. This could help patients get better faster and also play a part in making sure important medicines like antibiotics continue to work well when they are truly needed.

Key takeaways

This study observes how severe chest/breathing infections are treated in hospitals.
It aims to understand what causes these infections and common treatment approaches.
Participation mainly involves sharing your medical information from routine care.
A small number of participants may be asked for a nose/throat swab.
The goal is to improve diagnosis and treatment for future patients.
Your medical care will not be affected whether you join or not.

Who may be eligible?

To be considered for this study, you need to be at least 18 years old. You must have recently developed symptoms of a new breathing or chest infection, within the last 10 days, and have come to a hospital, like an emergency room or an urgent care unit, because of it.

Before you can take part, you or a legal representative would need to give your permission by signing an informed consent form, showing you understand what's involved.

You wouldn't be able to join if you've been transferred from a different hospital, have already been in the hospital for more than two days when the study is discussed with you, or if you've already taken part in this specific study before.

Quick self-check

Are you 18 years old or older?
Have you recently developed a new chest or breathing infection (within 10 days)?
Are you currently seeking hospital care (e.g., A&E or urgent care) for this infection?
Have you NOT been in hospital for more than 2 days for this infection already?

This is a guide only — the research team will confirm whether you can take part.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, the study will mainly collect information about your health, test results, and any treatments you receive as part of your usual hospital care for your breathing or chest infection. This includes details from your medical records. The doctors and nurses looking after you will continue to provide care as they normally would.

In addition to this, a small group of participants will be asked if a gentle swap from their nose or throat can be taken. This would happen within 24 hours of you joining the study. This swap helps the researchers find out what germ might be causing your infection. No extra hospital visits are required, and the study doesn't involve any new medications. The total duration of your participation would be for the period you are treated for your acute infection in hospital.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study primarily involves sharing medical information from your usual hospital care. There are very few direct risks, though a nose/throat swab, if taken, might be slightly uncomfortable for a moment. You might feel good knowing your information could help improve care for others with similar infections in the future. You are always free to change your mind and withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, and this will not affect your medical care.

Locations (23)

Erasme Hospital
Brussels, Belgium· Recruiting
University Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Zagreb
Zagreb, Croatia· Recruiting
CHU Grenoble
Grenoble, France· Recruiting
CHU Limoges
Limoges, France· Recruiting
CHU Lyon
Lyon, France· Recruiting
CHU de Tours
Tours, France· Recruiting
General University Hospital of Patras
Pátrai, Greece· Recruiting
Azienda Ospedaliera Policlinico di Bari
Bari, Italy· Recruiting
Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep
Alkmaar, Netherlands· Recruiting
Radboud University Medical Center
Nijmegen, Netherlands· Recruiting
Agrippa Ionescu Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest
Bucharest, Romania· Recruiting
Infectious and Tropical Diseases Hospital "Dr. Victor Babes"
Bucharest, Romania· Recruiting

+11 more sites — see the official record for the full list.

Common questions

What kind of infections are they studying?

They're looking at severe breathing and chest infections in adults, often called acute respiratory infections, like severe colds, flu, or pneumonia.

Will I get special treatment if I join?

No, you will receive the same care your doctors and nurses would normally provide. The study just collects information about that care.

Is the study giving out new medicines?

No, the study isn't testing new medicines. It's observing how current medicines and treatments are used.

What is a nose/throat swab?

It's a quick, gentle wipe inside your nose and/or back of your throat with a soft bud, just to collect a small sample for testing.

What if I change my mind about participating?

That's absolutely fine. You can withdraw from the study at any time without it affecting your medical care.

How to find out more

Yrene Themistocleous

pos-ari-er@ndm.ox.ac.uk 01865 612979 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.