Clinical Trial Details
— Status: Active, not recruiting
Administrative data
NCT number |
NCT04677842 |
Other study ID # |
EPPICC |
Secondary ID |
|
Status |
Active, not recruiting |
Phase |
|
First received |
|
Last updated |
|
Start date |
January 1, 2013 |
Est. completion date |
January 1, 2025 |
Study information
Verified date |
December 2020 |
Source |
PENTA Foundation |
Contact |
n/a |
Is FDA regulated |
No |
Health authority |
|
Study type |
Observational [Patient Registry]
|
Clinical Trial Summary
Across Europe and worldwide, there are many studies following groups (cohorts) of children
living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other infections over time, to monitor
their long-term health. Some of these infections are rare: for example, few children in
Western Europe are living with HIV, so the studies often have fairly small numbers of
participants. This can make it difficult to answer research questions in these cohorts and
means that doctors and researchers working with these patients in different countries need to
work together. This is particularly important as children are not often included in clinical
trials of treatments and other interventions.
The European Pregnancy and Paediatric Infections Cohort Collaboration (EPPICC) is an
international network of researchers working together in this way. Researchers in the network
represent cohort studies of pregnant women and children with, or at risk of, infections from
across Europe and Thailand. The research focuses on infections in pregnant women and
children, particularly HIV, hepatitis B and C virus, and tuberculosis, and, from 2020, novel
coronavirus (COVID-19). By combining data from many cohorts, the researchers aim to answer
questions that could not be answered by one study individually (for example, because a large
number of pregnant women or children are needed to answer the question).
This protocol focuses on the paediatric component of EPPICC's research, which focuses on the
treatment of children at risk of and living with infections. For example, what medicines are
used most often and how do they affect children's health? EPPICC is an observational study,
which means that children do not receive any extra treatment as part of the study. Instead,
children are "observed" during their routine medical care. Each cohort keeps records of the
children's health collected at routine clinic visits, including information such as date of
birth and sex, results of diagnostic tests, treatments received, and any illnesses or other
events that the children have had. The EPPICC study combines and analyses data from all of
the cohorts that take part, to answer questions about the risks and benefits of different
diagnosis or treatment strategies, the long-term effects of infection and treatment during
childhood and young adulthood, and regional variations (e.g. between Western and Eastern
Europe) in the risk and management of infections.
All of the data collected through the EPPICC Paediatric Protocol are stored securely at the
Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit (MRC CTU) at UCL. Data collection and storage
are governed by the General Data Protection Regulation. A Steering Committee guides the
research to make sure it is relevant and of high quality. Public and patient involvement
(PPI) may be provided by individual cohorts' own groups, as well as by the interlinked Penta
organisation, which is a network of paediatricians and researchers working in infections in
Europe and globally. The PPI groups help with release of the results of the research. The
results are also published on the Penta Foundation's public website (https://penta-id.org/),
and presented at conferences and published in Open Access scientific journals.
Description:
MAIN AIM OF THE STUDY The overall aim of the EPPICC Paediatric Protocol is to analyse
individual patient data from across collaborating European and international cohorts on
infections in children and young people, to inform optimal prevention and treatment
strategies.
MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS HIV: prevalence and incidence of immunological and virological failure,
HIV resistance, AIDS and non-AIDS events, mortality, cascade of care, engagement in care
(including after transfer to adult care); antiretroviral therapy status and toxicities
(adverse events, serious adverse events and discontinuation of drug) HCV: disease
progression, uptake and outcome (effectiveness and safety) of HCV treatment in HCV mono- and
HCV-HIV co-infected patients TB: incidence (including exploration of different
diagnostic/screening strategies across regions) of LTBI and TB disease; outcomes of TB
treatment including treatment of LTBI COVID-19: prevalence and incidence of infection and
disease among both the general population and specifically among children and adolescents
living with HIV; admission to hospital/ICU; outcomes (including resolution, death, sequelae
(e.g. paediatric inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2)) COHORT /
INVESTIGATOR INCLUSION CRITERIA The study Sponsor has overall responsibility for site and
investigator selection.
The Principal Investigators of cohorts which have participated in previous EPPICC data
mergers will be approached to ascertain their interest in participating in future data
mergers. New cohorts may also be identified and may be invited to participate. The key
inclusion criterion for a cohort to participate is enrolment of children and adolescents with
the infection of interest. All cohorts who are able to commit to submitting and cleaning
data, obtaining any ethical, regulatory or other approvals required locally, and completion
of data sharing agreements in accordance with the project timelines will be included.
DATA COLLECTION Collected data are pseudonymised: no names, initials, hospital numbers,
national ID or addresses of patients are collected. Core data items included in most EPPICC
paediatric data mergers include the following; Demographic: Date of birth, sex,
ethnicity/country of origin, country of residence Therapeutic: Prophylaxis and treatment data
(HIV, HCV, TB and COVID-19 treatments) including start and stop dates, drug names, doses and
frequency of administration, and reasons for change/discontinuation Diagnostic: Diagnostic
tests for infections undertaken, including dates and results Concurrent treatments: Other
medications Clinical Infection status: (HIV, TB, HCV, HBV, SARS-CoV-2, other infection of
interest), mode of acquisition of infection, date of diagnosis, disease stage Clinical (other
events): Adverse events (e.g. severity, causal relation to drugs), AIDS- and non-AIDS-
defining malignancies, COVID-19 sequelae, weight, height, death, causes of death, pregnancy,
hospitalisations Laboratory: Absolute CD4 counts and percentage, HIV RNA, HCV RNA
measurements, other lab markers Other Follow-up status, reason for study drop-out, transfer
to adult care
For certain analyses, additional data items may be requested, and may include:
- Biochemistry results
- Further details of severe adverse events
- Outcome of severe events. Data merger methods Individual cohorts collect data from
medical records in clinics. Cohorts then send electronic datasets to the EPPICC
Paediatric Data Manager, using a format and method defined in an EPPICC Standard
Operating Procedure. For the ongoing HIV analyses, data variables are based on HICDEP
data formats. HICDEP is the HIV Cohorts Data Exchange Protocol (www.hicdep.org) and is
based on a relational structure, with data presented in a series of tables, together
with the lookup tables for the codes to be used. For other future cohort collaborations,
the variables to be collected and the database format will be based on existing data
collection tools and standards where possible. Transfer of data to the EPPICC Paediatric
Data Manager takes place using Galaxkey or an equivalent secured method.
Submitted data are subjected to a range of logic and consistency checks. STATISTICAL
CONSIDERATIONS EPPICC analyses may cover a wide range of questions, although individual
Concept Sheets are specific to focussed research questions.
SAMPLE SIZE Data are collected on all eligible participants enrolled in the participating
centres who meet the inclusion criteria. Sample size calculations are carried out for
specific planned analyses to ensure that sufficient participants are available to
meaningfully answer each research question.
ANALYSIS PLAN Each Concept Sheet includes a brief analysis plan. Standard statistical methods
are used in the analysis of different types of exposure and outcome data. Adjustment for
confounding may be achieved through multivariable modelling or using alternative approaches
such as propensity scoring. Missing data are to be expected and, depending on the analysis
and the amount and likely mechanisms of missing data, may be approached using complete case
analysis or techniques such as multiple imputation. Details of specific analytical approaches
are included in each Concept Sheet. Previous analyses of EPPICC paediatric data have used
approaches including Cox regression, linear regression, logistic regression, and propensity
score matching. Cohorts may be grouped by region (as cohorts within the same region are often
similar in terms of epidemiology and treatment approaches), and region is then included as a
covariate in the analysis.
REGULATORY & ETHICAL ISSUES COMPLIANCE EPPICC is an observational study with no
study-specific interventions beyond those received in routine care. Nevertheless, it is
conducted in compliance with the approved protocol, the Declaration of Helsinki 1996, the
principles of Good Clinical Practice, the General Data Protection Regulation and the UK Data
Protection Act 2018 (DPA number: Z6364106), and the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social
Care Research.
Each cohort is responsible for ensuring compliance with local and national regulatory and
ethical processes.
DATA RETENTION
The paediatric study dataset will be stored at the MRC CTU at UCL, in accordance with
national data legislation. A final copy will be sent to the study sponsor, the Penta
Foundation. The dataset will be held for a minimum of 5 years after the end of the study.
DATA SHARING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN COHORTS AND EPPICC Individual cohorts, the Penta Foundation
and the MRC CTU at UCL are required to sign a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA), which allows
transfer of data between cohorts and the Penta Foundation and the MRC CTU at UCL. All data
will be handled and used in accordance with the DSA. Cohorts should return the DSA, once
signed, to the project coordinator at the Penta Foundation.
THIRD PARTY DATA SHARING REQUESTS Extracts of EPPICC data may be requested for other cohort
collaboration analyses, both nationally and internationally. Requests to access EPPICC data
will be considered on a case by case basis. Transfer of EPPICC data (partial or complete) to
third party collaborators requires approval from the PIs of cohorts contributing data (or
authorised cohort representatives) and is subject to a contract and Data Sharing Agreement,
if applicable. All data transfer is conducted through a secure process. Any data transferred
to third parties must be stored by third parties in compliance with all relevant data
protection regulations.
Researchers wishing to access EPPICC data should contact the EPPICC Study Team in the first
instance. A Concept Sheet is then required, which would be circulated to and discussed with
all potential contributing cohorts.