The world of REMAP-CAP is constantly evolving, here’s what’s new!

REMAP-CAP, a groundbreaking trial that has most recently been primarily focused on finding treatments for COVID-19, has now been selected by the National Institute for Healthcare and Research to evaluate therapeutic interventions for influenza.

Influenza is a common viral infection that affects people of all ages, and while most people recover within a week or two, the infection can lead to serious complications and even death. The trial is designed to evaluate new antivirals, existing treatments, and the option of new treatments, all in an adaptive factorial design.

The inclusion of children under the age of 12 in this study is a crucial development, as influenza can affect people of all ages. The trial aims to identify the effect of a range of interventions to improve outcomes, including all-cause mortality at 90 days, for hospitalised patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) who have been admitted to hospital. Influenza is a common cause of pneumonia, especially in young children. 

The trial will recruit participants who are admitted to hospital and meet the eligibility criterion of being hospitalised with an acute illness due to a lower respiratory tract infection.

The REMAP-CAP trial is a hierarchical model that allows for dynamic borrowing, which means that if the results are similar in both adults and children, the model can put them together and report the same results. However, if the results are different, the model acknowledges that and allows for the continuation of research. This feature is especially important for children, as they are a smaller subset of the study population.

The trial is being conducted in 25 different countries with multiple sponsors, including Australia, Colombia, Asia, and New Zealand. The trial's modular protocol structure has allowed for tweaks to the core protocol to include children, making it a valuable tool in evaluating therapeutic interventions for influenza.

The importance of children being involved in this study cannot be overstated. Children are often excluded from clinical trials, which limits the availability of information about the safety and efficacy of treatments for this population. By including children in the REMAP-CAP trial, we can gain valuable insights into how treatments affect this vulnerable population and improve treatment options for both adults and children in the future.

The inclusion of children in the REMAP-CAP trial is a significant development in evaluating therapeutic interventions for influenza. With influenza estimated to cause 300,000 to 650,000 deaths worldwide, the REMAP-CAP trial is a crucial step in combating this life-threatening illness.

The team at Spiral are dedicated to improving health outcomes on a global scale. Together with the REMAP-CAP team, we have been working hard to ensure that the inclusion of children within the trial study design is a possibility and one that would produce robust results, helping to improve treatment in future years for both adults and children.

Sources:

ICNARC