RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

The CATALINA Study

The CATALINA study is looking at people who are admitted to hospital because of a sudden worsening of their Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), often called a flare-up or exacerbation. This study involves many centres across Europe and aims to gather important health information and biological samples from 1000 patients over three years. We want to understand why these flare-ups happen, how they affect people, and how we can better predict and manage them in the future. The information collected will help doctors develop new ways to treat COPD and support patients in managing their condition. It's a big step towards improving care for people with COPD across Europe.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Wim Janssens

Enrolment target

1,000

Start

25 Oct 2022

Estimated completion

01 Mar 2028

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbation

What is this study about?

The CATALINA study is an important project designed to help us better understand Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) flare-ups. A flare-up, also known as an exacerbation, is when your breathing suddenly gets much worse and you often need to go to hospital. The main goal of this study is to collect detailed health information and samples, like blood, from many patients across Europe who are admitted to hospital with a COPD flare-up.

By carefully gathering this information over time, we hope to build a comprehensive picture of how COPD flare-ups affect people. This will allow researchers to identify patterns, understand what makes some people more likely to have severe flare-ups, and ultimately develop better ways to predict and prevent them. It's like gathering all the pieces of a puzzle to see the full picture of COPD flare-ups.

The information collected will also be crucial for developing new treatments tailored to specific groups of people with COPD. Knowing more about individual differences can help doctors provide more personalised and effective care. This study is a big step towards improving the lives of people living with COPD.

Key takeaways

Helps understand COPD flare-ups better.
Contributes to future COPD treatments.
Involves collecting health data and samples.
Participation lasts one year.
Does not involve new medications.
You can withdraw at any time.

Who may be eligible?

This study is for adults aged 18 or over who have been diagnosed with COPD by a doctor and are currently in hospital because of a sudden worsening of their symptoms (a COPD flare-up). You would need to enrol in the study within 48 hours of being admitted to hospital for this flare-up.

To join, you or your representative must be able to understand and sign a consent form, showing you agree to take part. You also need to be receiving treatment with steroids, antibiotics, or both for your flare-up, as this is the minimum treatment required to be included in the study.

However, you wouldn't be able to join if you can't or don't want to follow the study's requirements. Also, if you have tested positive for COVID-19, or doctors strongly suspect you have it, you would not be eligible for this study.

Quick self-check

Are you 18 years old or older?
Do you have a doctor's diagnosis of COPD?
Are you currently in hospital for a COPD flare-up?
Were you admitted within the last 48 hours?
Are you receiving steroid or antibiotic treatment for this flare-up?
Are you willing and able to attend follow-up visits?

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 in the CATALINA study, your participation would generally last for one year. During this time, we would gather information and samples at different points.

For the initial hospital stay due to your COPD flare-up, there would be three visits: one within 48 hours of being admitted, another three days after joining the study, and a final one when you are discharged from the hospital. After you leave the hospital, there would be three more visits to the clinic: at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after you first joined the study.

If you happen to be readmitted to hospital for breathing problems at any point during the year you're in the study, we would also collect information and samples during that readmission, following the same schedule: within 48 hours of admission, at 72 hours, and at discharge. The study will not involve any new medications; it focuses on collecting information and samples related to your ongoing care.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study may not directly benefit your health right now, as it focuses on understanding COPD flare-ups for future treatments. However, your involvement will contribute vital information that could help many others with COPD in the future. The risks of participating are generally low, as the study mainly involves collecting information and biological samples, like blood, which are part of routine care or common in research. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (22)

Kepler University Hospital
Linz, Austria· Recruiting
University Hospital Vienna
Vienna, Austria· Not yet recruiting
CHU St-Pierre Brussels
Brussels, Belgium· Recruiting
UZ Leuven
Leuven, Belgium· Recruiting
CHU UCL Namur Site Godinne
Yvoir, Belgium· Recruiting
CHU de Lille
Lille, France· Not yet recruiting
Cochin Hospital
Paris, France· Not yet recruiting
LungenClinic
Großhansdorf, Germany· Recruiting
Klinikum Itzehoe
Itzehoe, Germany· Recruiting
University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein
Kiel, Germany· Not yet recruiting
University Medical Centre of Gießen & Marburg
Marburg, Germany· Recruiting
University Hospital of Ferrara
Ferrara, Italy· Not yet recruiting

+10 more sites — see the official record for the full list.

Common questions

What is a COPD flare-up?

A COPD flare-up, or exacerbation, is when your breathing symptoms suddenly get much worse and you may need hospital care.

What kind of samples will be collected?

Biological samples, such as blood samples, will be collected. These are often routine parts of medical care or common in research.

How long will I be in the study?

Your participation in the study will last for about one year.

Will I have to take new medicine?

No, this study does not involve giving you new medicines. It focuses on collecting information and samples.

What if I get readmitted to hospital?

If you are readmitted for breathing reasons during the study, we will collect data and samples during that hospital stay as well.

How to find out more

Kristina Vermeersch, PhD

kristina.vermeersch@kuleuven.be 016342284 Official trial record

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