Pers nieuws

ECRAID-Base Launches European Clinical Research Alliance

Securing the advancement of clinical research in the field of infectious diseases

Treating artery stenosis with sound waves

By aiming high-frequency sound waves at a narrowing – a plaque – in the artery, it is broken down layer by layer. That is the theory behind the Hifu treatment (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound). This method has recently been successfully tested in patients with artery stenosis in the groin. This non-invasive operation can be an alternative to patients in the long term to surgery or stent placement.

Full-dose blood thinners decreased need for life support and improved outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in international trial

Full dose anti-coagulation (blood thinner) treatments given to patients hospitalized for COVID-19 reduced the requirement of vital organ support in a large clinical trial conducted worldwide. With large numbers of COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization, this treatment is expected to reduce the pressure in intensive care units around the world.

Tuberculosis vaccine does not protect vulnerable elderly people against COVID-19

The BCG vaccine does not offer vulnerable elderly people protection against the symptoms of COVID-19. These are the initial results of the BCG-PRIME study among 6,132 vulnerable patients aged 60 and over. Research into the existing tuberculosis vaccine started in September 2020 and was carried out in 20 Dutch hospitals, including all UMCs and the Santeon top clinical hospitals. The study was headed by Prof. Dr Marc Bonten (UMC Utrecht), Prof. Dr Mihai Netea (Radboudumc), Prof. Dr Frits Rosendaal (LUMC) and Prof. Dr Maurice van den Bosch (OLVG). The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and the Netherlands Organisation of Health Research and Development (ZonMw) funded the study.

International Trial of SARS-CoV-2 Convalescent Plasma Pauses Enrollment of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients

The REMAP-CAP trial, which is testing the effects of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients with moderate and severe illness has paused enrollment for severely ill COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) support.

Reduced mortality for sickest COVID-19 patients

Treating critically ill COVID-19 patients with drugs typically used for arthritis may significantly improve survival, a landmark study has found. The findings, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, come from the REMAP-CAP trial, which evaluates the effect of treatments on a combination of survival and length of time patients need support in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Statement from the REMAP-CAP trial: International Trials of Blood Thinners Pause Enrollment of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients