LAB-Net’s Activities in the HONEST-PREPS

LAB-Net’s first activity for HONEST-PREPS study was the External Quality Assessment (EQA) panel, which took place in February 2022. The EQA panel aimed to evaluate the preparedness of local laboratories to detect HAP/VAP related pathogens, as well as to perform susceptibility testing and accurate reporting of multidrug resistant microorganisms (MDR). Objective assessment of laboratory performance is essential to predict the quality of participation in the future clinical studies and it could also influence site recruitment rate and potential study outcome.

Seven microbiology laboratories from a total of 11 active HONEST-PREPS sites participated and submitted the results. Ten swabs representing endotracheal aspiration (ETA) specimens were distributed to the laboratories. Swabs were spiked with 13 well-characterized Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains, closely related to the hospital and ventilator associated pneumonia (HAP/VAP). Labs were instructed to perform their routine sample culture work and then identify all species as well as determine the antimicrobial susceptibility (AST) of those they would routinely perform.

LAB-Net provided to each laboratory an individual report on their performance together with the intended results. Participating laboratories were awarded with a certificates of participation.

LAB-Net’s second activity  within HONEST-PREPS study was to organize the seminar on “Sampling and screening of patients for HAP/VAP diagnostics”. Three major objectives of this seminar were to review the most recent guidelines on procedures for the HAP/VAP diagnosis; to discuss the most recommended ways of performing lower respiratory tract sampling and blood cultures, as well as the frequency of screening sampling. The final objective was to help sites to improve the frequency of sampling within and beyond the study. Originally scheduled for fall 2021 and postponed to spring 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the seminar was conducted on 4 and 28 April 2022. Both 1-hour seminar sessions were attended by clinicians and laboratory workers from 6 different HONEST-PREPS sites. Only for LAB-Net purposes to assess the uptake of the content, a short questionnaire (10 questions in total) was distributed before and after the seminar.

Following the phase of patient enrollment in HONEST-PREPS which ended on April 30, 2022, well-performing HONEST-PREPS sites will have the opportunity to transition to ECRAID-Base’s POS-VAP (Perpetual Observational Study into Ventilator Associated Pneumonia) with the prospect of joining future Randomized Controlled Trials.

ABOUT HONEST-PREPS

HONEST-PREPS aims to determine the incidence, microbiological etiology (including antibiotic resistance), management and outcome of patients who develop hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP/VAP) in the intensive care unit (ICU). The aim of HONEST-PREPS is to build up an infrastructure which will allow- to enroll prospectively patients at risks for HAP/VAP in the ICU. In addition of capturing HAP/VAP episodes in a timely manner, the  collected data will also be used to inform future diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic trials.

THE FUTURE IS ECRAID

ECRAID-Base is the unification of several networks into one central sustainable infrastructure. The networks built by COMBACTE and PREPARE will allow running clinical research faster, easier, and more cost-effectively. Pooling forces, knowledge and expertise will help tackle the most urgent healthcare threats. At the heart of ECRAID-Base are six perpetual studies (POS), amongst which POS-VAP. All POS studies will mature towards adaptive platform trials, with capability to rapidly respond to public health threats.

ECRAID-Base is the initial set of activities for Ecraid foundation. Over the five-year duration of ECRAID-Base, Ecraid will evolve into a self-sustainable not-for-profit organization, aiming to improve clinical research in the field of infectious diseases in Europe.