COVID-19 Clinical Trials and Expanded Access

This cohort study aims at prospectively collecting detailed clinical information on patients positive to or suspected of COVID-19 visiting Italian emergency departments (EDs). The objectives of the study are: 1. To monitor and describe the COVID-19 patients visiting Italian EDs. 2. To assess the prognostic impact of demographics, clinical characteristics, risk factors and pre-existing diseases. 3. To develop a predictive model, providing estimates of the prognosis using multiple relevant factors. 4. To construct a detailed database to enable comparative effectiveness research (CER), with the goal of generating hypothesis of efficacy and effectiveness of treatments, therapies and interventions, in the management and treatment of COVID-19 patients.

In December 2019 in the city of Wuhan in China, a series of patients with unclear pneumonia was noticed, some of whom have died of it. In virological analyses of samples from the patients' deep respiratory tract, a novel coronavirus was isolated (SARS-CoV-2). The disease spread rapidly in the city of Wuhan at the beginning of 2020 and soon beyond in China and, in the coming weeks, around the world. Initial studies described numerous severe courses, particularly those associated with increased patient age and previous cardiovascular, metabolic and respiratory diseases. A small number of the particularly severely ill patients required not only highly invasive ventilation therapy but also extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vv-ECMO) to supply the patient's blood with sufficient oxygen. Even under maximum intensive care treatment, a very high mortality rate of approximately 80-100% was observed in this patient group. In addition, high levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) could be detected in the blood of these severely ill patients, which in turn were associated with poor outcome. From experience in the therapy of severely ill patients with severe infections and respiratory failure, we know that treatment with a CytoSorb® adsorber can lead to a reduction of the circulating pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and thus improve the course of the disease and the outcome of the patients. Our primary goal is to investigate the efficacy of treatment with a CytoSorb® adsorber in patients with severe COVID-19 disease requiring venous ECMO over 72 hours after initiation of ECMO. The primary endpoint is the reduction of plasma interleukin-6 levels 72 hours after initiation of ECMO support. As secondary endpoints we investigate 30-day survival, vasopressor and volume requirements, lactate in terms of lactate and platelet function. As safety variables, we further investigate the levels of the applied antibiotics (usually ampicillin and sulbactam).

Evaluate the efficacy of treatment with high-titer Anti- SARS-CoV-2 plasma versus control (SARS-CoV-2 non-immune plasma) in subjects exposed to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at day 28.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease-2019) is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that appeared in December 2019 in the Wuhan district. COVID-19 has since affected more than 150 countries across the world and especially France. The first epidemiological data, mostly from Chinese studies, indicate that diabetes is one of the most common comorbidities, with high blood pressure, in patients with COVID-19. Moreover, the presence of diabetes at admission would be a risk factor for both ICU hospitalization and death. Nevertheless, specific data on people with diabetes and COVID-19 are fragmentary, justifying the achievement of a dedicated prospective observational study. The French nationwide CORONADO study aims to specifically describe the phenotypic characteristics of patients with diabetes admitted to hospital with COVID-19 infection. Particular attention will be devoted to glycemic control at admission (i.e. the level of HbA1c), the diabetic complications, as well as anti-diabetic and antihypertensive therapies. This study will provide answers to caregivers and patients with diabetes regarding the risk factors related to diabetes for COVID-19 prognosis. This pilot study will be used for the development of new studies and for the establishment of recommendations for the cost of care in patients with diabetes and COVID-19.

On January 2020, the discovery of a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was officially announced by the Chinese health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO). Its complete genome was sequenced by the laboratory of respiratory infection viruses at the Institut Pasteur on 29 January 2020 in France. This will allow the identification of antigenic structures involved in the immune response and the development of serological diagnostic tests. Many questions are being asked about this new virus and the infection it causes, including questions about the percentage of asymptomatic and pauci-symptomatic forms. Serological studies can provide answers to these questions. There is no serological test for SARS-COV-2 yet, but the laboratory of respiratory infection viruses at the Institut Pasteur is working on its development. This study proposes to carry out a collection of samples taken from subjects who travelled to China before the epidemic outbreak or suspected of being infected with SARS-CoV-2. As soon as it is available, serology will be performed on the collected samples.

It has been reported that nearly half of the patients who are hospitalized for Covid-19 pneumonia have on admission old age or comorbidities. In particular, hypertension was present in 30% of the cases, diabetes in 19%, coronary heart disease in 8% and chronic obstructive lung disease in 3% of the patients. Amazingly, in the two major studies published in the Lancet (Zhou F et al Lancet 2020) and in the New England Journal of Medicine (Guan W et al 2020), the weight of the subjects as well their body mass index (BMI) were omitted. However, obesity, alone or in association with diabetes, can be a major predisposition factor for Covid-19 infection. The primary end-point of our prospective, observational study is to assess the recovery rate in patients with diagnosis of Covid-19 pneumonia. Among the other secondary end-points, we intend to find the predictors of the time to clinical improvement or hospital discharge in patients affected by Covid-19 pneumonia.

Cytokines and chemokines are thought to play an important role in immunity and immunopathology during virus infections [3]. Patients with severe COVID-19 have higher serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6) and chemokines (IL-8) compared to individuals with mild disease or healthy controls, similar to patients with SARS or MERS . The change of laboratory parameters, including elevated serum cytokine, chemokine levels, and increased NLR in infected patients are correlated with the severity of the disease and adverse outcome, suggesting a possible role for hyper-inflammatory responses in COVID-19 pathogenesis. Importantly, previous studies showed that viroporin E, a component of SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), forms Ca2C-permeable ion channels and activates the NLRP3 inflammasome. In addition, another viroporin 3a was found to induce NLRP3 inflammasome activation . The mechanisms are unclear. Colchicine, an old drug used in auto-inflammatory disorders (i.e., Familiar Mediterranean Fever and Bechet disease) and in gout, counteracts the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome, thereby reducing the release of IL-1b and an array of other interleukins, including IL-6, that are formed in response to danger signals. Recently, colchicine has been successfully used in two cases of life-threatening post-transplant capillary leak syndrome. These patients had required mechanically ventilation for weeks and hemodialysis, before receiving colchicine, which abruptly restored normal respiratory function and diuresis over 48 hrs [4].

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a somewhat new and recognized infectious disease that is now spreading to several countries in the world, including Brazil. Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin may be useful for treating those patients. COALITION I study aims to compared standard of care, hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine monotherapy for treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. COALITION I will recruit 630 patients with infection by COVID-19 (210 per arm). Ordinal endpoint of status at 15 days will be the primary endpoint.

Growing evidences are showing the usefulness of lung ultrasound in patients with COVID-19. Sars-CoV-2 has now spread in almost every country in the world. In this study, the investigators share their experience and propose a standardized approach in order to optimize the use of lung ultrasound in covid-19 patients. The investigators focus on equipment, procedure, classification and data-sharing.

COVID-19 infection is overwhelming Italian healthcare. There is an urgent need for a solution to the lack of ICU beds and increasing deaths day after day. A recent retrospective Chinese paper (JAMA Intern Med, online March 13, 2020) showed impressive positive effect of methylprednisolone (MP) on survival of SARS-CoV-2 critically ill patients. Moreover, the Italian Infectious Disease leading institution guidelines for COVID-19 clinical management included as an option for patients with "incipient worsening of respiratory functions" methylprednisolone treatment at an approximate dose of 80mg. The main objective of this multi-centre observational trial is to analyse the association of low dose prolonged infusion of methylprednisolone (MP) for patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome with composite primary end-point (ICU referral, need for intubation, in-hospital death at day 28).