Flufenamic Acid for Hospitalised Influenza Infection

Influenza A Clinical Trial

Official title: A Double-blind Randomised Controlled Trial on Flufenamic Acid for Hospitalised Influenza Infection

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

It is well recognized that respiratory viruses cause substantial disease burden every year. Among all known respiratory viruses, influenza virus is the greatest cause of disability-adjusted life years lost, excess hospitalizations, and deaths in the elderly and patients with chronic illness. These patients are frequently hospitalized for pneumonia secondary to these respiratory viral infection. Recently, macrolide antimicrobial clarithromycin and flufenamic acid (FFA) have been shown to inhibit seasonal influenza virus infection in human airway epithelial cells with additional anti-inflammatory effect.

The investigators therefore plan to conduct a 3-year prospective study among adult patients hospitalized in Queen Mary Hospital for influenza with secondary pneumonia and randomized them to receive a course of oseltamivir + FFA + clarithromycin (as treatment) vs. a course of oseltamivir (current standard treatment as control). The objective of this prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of clarithromycin and FFA antiviral therapy in patients diagnosed to have pneumonia secondary to influenza infection.

Clinical Trial Description

This double blind randomized-controlled trial will assess the clinical efficacy, mortality reduction and viral load reduction of clarithromycin and FFA in patients hospitalized for pneumonia secondary to influenza infection.

The investigators plan to enroll at least 200 adult patients. Enrolled patients will be randomized into 2 groups. Group 1: oseltamivir 75mg + clarithromycin 500mg + FFA 200mg all twice daily for 2 days, followed by oseltamivir 75mg twice daily for 3 days ; Group 2: oseltamivir 75mg + two placebo capsules (identical in appearance to clarithromycin and FFA capsules respectively) twice daily for 2 days, followed by oseltamivir 75mg twice daily for 3 days. The placebo capsules will contain inactive starch. All patients will receive a 5-day course of amoxicillin-clavulanate 1g bid for empirical coverage of community acquired pneumonia and esomeprazole 20mg daily for prevention of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs related gastropathy.

Randomized treatment will be double blinded. Patients will be assigned to serial number by the study-coordinator. Each serial number will be linked to a computer-generated randomization list assigning the antiviral treatment regimens. The study medications will be dispensed by the hospital pharmacy and then to the patients by the medical ward nurses who will not know the treatment regimen of any subsequent patients. Enrolled patients could not differentiate the study or the placebo medication capsule which will be identical in appearance. The placebo capsules will contain inactive starch.

There will be 50% chance of random assignment into one of the treatment or control arms.

Clinical data, nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) and blood specimens will be collected daily if possible from admission till discharge, transfer to convalescent hospitals or death. All enrolled patients will be invited to the Infectious Disease outpatient clinic in Queen Mary Hospital for follow-up at 1 and 3 months after discharge. The investigators will retrieve your clinical information from the Clinical Medical System in the Queen Mary Hospital during follow-up. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Influenza A
• Influenza, Human

• NCT number: NCT03238612
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: The University of Hong Kong
• Contact: Deborah Ho, BSc MSc
• Phone: 22554049
• Email: tipyin@yahoo.com.hk
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: January 8, 2018
• Completion date: October 31, 2020