Flufenamic Acid for Hospitalised Influenza Infection

Summary

It is well recognized that respiratory viruses cause substantial disease burden every year. Among all known respiratory viruses, influenza virus is the greatest cause of disability-adjusted life years lost, excess hospitalizations, and deaths in the elderly and patients with chronic illness. These patients are frequently hospitalized for pneumonia secondary to these respiratory viral infection. Recently, macrolide antimicrobial clarithromycin and flufenamic acid (FFA) have been shown to inhibit seasonal influenza virus infection in human airway epithelial cells with additional anti-inflammatory effect. The investigators therefore plan to conduct a 3-year prospective study among adult patients hospitalized in Queen Mary Hospital for influenza with secondary pneumonia and randomized them to receive a course of oseltamivir + FFA + clarithromycin (as treatment) vs. a course of oseltamivir (current standard treatment as control). The objective of this prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of clarithromycin and FFA antiviral therapy in patients diagnosed to have pneumonia secondary to influenza infection.

Timeline

Start

2018-01-08

Primary completion

2020-07-31

Completion

2020-10-31

Publications

• Background Hung IFN, To KKW, Chan JFW, Cheng VCC, Liu KSH, Tam A, Chan TC, Zhang AJ, Li P, Wong TL, Zhang R, Cheung MKS, Leung W, Lau JYN, Fok M, Chen H, Chan KH, Yuen KY. Efficacy of Clarithromycin-Naproxen-Oseltamivir Combination in the Treatment of Patients Hospitalized for Influenza A(H3N2) Infection: An Open-label Randomized, Controlled, Phase IIb/III Trial. Chest. 2017 May;151(5):1069-1080. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2016.11.012. Epub 2016 Nov 22.
• Background Hung IFN, To KKW, Lee CK, Lee KL, Yan WW, Chan K, Chan WM, Ngai CW, Law KI, Chow FL, Liu R, Lai KY, Lau CCY, Liu SH, Chan KH, Lin CK, Yuen KY. Hyperimmune IV immunoglobulin treatment: a multicenter double-blind randomized controlled trial for patients with severe 2009 influenza A(H1N1) infection. Chest. 2013 Aug;144(2):464-473. doi: 10.1378/chest.12-2907.
• Background Li IW, Hung IF, To KK, Chan KH, Wong SS, Chan JF, Cheng VC, Tsang OT, Lai ST, Lau YL, Yuen KY. The natural viral load profile of patients with pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) and the effect of oseltamivir treatment. Chest. 2010 Apr;137(4):759-68. doi: 10.1378/chest.09-3072. Epub 2010 Jan 8.
• Background Hung IF, To KK, Lee CK, Lee KL, Chan K, Yan WW, Liu R, Watt CL, Chan WM, Lai KY, Koo CK, Buckley T, Chow FL, Wong KK, Chan HS, Ching CK, Tang BS, Lau CC, Li IW, Liu SH, Chan KH, Lin CK, Yuen KY. Convalescent plasma treatment reduced mortality in patients with severe pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus infection. Clin Infect Dis. 2011 Feb 15;52(4):447-56. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciq106. Epub 2011 Jan 19.

Drugs

Indications