ASPIRE-SSI: Journey to Data Analysis

Since the last patient had the last visit in January, the ASPIRE-SSI team has been working diligently to close participating sites, finish the data monitoring, arrange for shipment of all of the study samples to the central lab at the University of Antwerp and to complete the database lock.

As the COVID-19 pandemic gained momentum, the study activities experienced some delay, as the site principal investigators (PIs) and their staff were overwhelmed with COVID-related work at their hospitals. Site visits were also not possible during these times.

Despite this challenge, the team is extremely thankful to the PIs for their dedication to rounding up the study activities.

Currently, the central lab is performing the last checks to corroborate whether all expected samples have been received, and has started with the analyses of the first batches of microbiological samples. The clinical team is busy finishing the last checks of the data and, together with the statisticians, will soon begin the data analyses.

This is an extremely exciting time for the ASPIRE-SSI team and the team is very grateful for the dedication and hard work of all those who made this study a success.

About ASPIRE-SSI

The primary objective of ASPIRE-SSI (Advanced understanding of StaPhylococcus aureus Infections in EuRopE – Surgical Site Infections) is to determine the incidence of S. aureus SSIs in various adult surgical patient populations. Another aim is to identify the patient-related, pathogen-related, and contextual risk factors. Immunologic features that are associated with protection against S. aureus SSI will also be assessed. The knowledge obtained from this study will enable identification of the patients most at risk for developing S. aureus SSI. It should also indicate who would likely to benefit the most from new prophylactic interventions.