Clinical Trial to Reduce Antibiotic Resistance in European Intensive Cares (MOSAR-ICU)

• Colonization with MRSA, VRE and ESBL [ Time Frame: On admission ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  By taking surveillance swabs from nose, perineum and wounds (if present) on admission we will assess whether patients are colonized with MRSA, VRE and ESBL at the moment of ICU admission. Swabs will be processed on chromogenic agars.
  
  
• Colonization with MRSA, VRE and ESBL [ Time Frame: During ICU stay ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

  By taking surveillance swabs twice weekly from nose, perineum and wounds (if present) we will assess whether patients become colonized with MRSA, VRE and ESBL during ICU stay. Swabs will be processed on chromogenic agars.

  Note: for patients admitted for longer than 21 days, surveillance is reduced to once weekly.

  
  

• Incidence density of new acquisitions with MRSA, VRE and ESBL individually. [ Time Frame: Acquired during ICU stay (median LOS 14 days) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

  In phase 2, we implement a hygiene improvement program. We will assess if this program reduces the number of patients acquiring colonization with MRSA, VRE and ESBL. We will measure colonization as stated in the primary outcome measure.

  In phase 3, we will implement direct feedback of screening results, and isolation of colonized patients. Swabs will be processed either by chromogenic agar (a) or molecular tests (b). Thus, the effect of these interventions on incidence density of new acquisitions of MRSA, VRE or ESBL will be assessed.

  
  
• ICU-acquired bacteremia rates with MRSA,VRE or ESBL. [ Time Frame: Acquired during ICU stay (median LOS 14 days) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  We will collect data on all bacteremias occuring during ICU stay, after completion of the trial. We include all bacteremias with s aureus (MSSA and MRSA), e faecium/ e faecalis ("S" and "R") and enterobacteriaceae ("S" and "R"). Data will be collected from the microbiology labs.
  
  
• 28 day-mortality [ Time Frame: 28 days ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  We will collect length of stay, and disposition at d28 as well as disposition at discharge from the ICU. Data will be collected in the online CRF.
  
  

A cluster-randomized trial with a stepped wedge design will be conducted in adult ICU's throughout Europe

The MOSAR-ICU trial is motivated by three primary considerations:

1. Advances in behavioral sciences and research about (hand) hygiene compliance have allowed a better understanding of barriers to increase compliance with (hand) hygiene practices within healthcare institutions;
2. Recent investigations have identified new rapid tests, both chromogenic media and molecular based tests, which may help identifying previously unknown carriage of AMRB at the time of admission; and
3. Currently practiced procedures, such as regular surveillance of all patients and daily cleansing of ICU patients with Chlorhexidine, have not been evaluated properly for their effectiveness.

In conclusion, evidence base derived recommendations from prospective studies regarding the costeffectiveness of different control strategies are lacking.

This study assess the impact of the three interventions on ICU acquired colonisation rates for AMRB(MRSA,VRE and ESBL).

Study design: Multi-center, cluster-randomised clinical trial.

Study population: Adult patients admitted to the ICU.

Intervention: The first phase of the study will be a 6-month baseline period to determine acquisition rates of AMRB during current standard practice in the individual participating centers (including currently performed surveillance strategies). The second phase will consist of a Hygiene Improvement Program to improve standard precautions and hand hygiene; and daily washing of all ICU patients with Chlorhexidine gluconate (HIP; 6 months). In both periods Contact Precautions (contact isolation) will be implemented for carriers of AMRB, as identified upon clinical cultures and following current practice of individual wards. In the third phase of the study (12 months) units will be randomized, and all interventions of phase 2 will be continued in all units. Half of the units will implement surveillance (admission and twice weekly cultures) of all admitted patients for carriage of MRSA and VRE using chromogenic agar. The other half will add molecular based rapid testing of ALL admission cultures for MRSA and VRE in addition to twice weekly screening of all patients with Chromagar based tests for MRSA, VRE and ESBL.

Main study endpoints: ICU-acquired colonization rates with MRSA, VRE and ESBL.

Primary Objective: To evaluate the impact of enhanced standard barrier precautions and rapid screening with targeted isolation of patients carrying AMRB on transmission of AMRB.

Secondary Objectives:

• Evaluate the impact of interventions on ICU-acquired bacteremia rates with MRSA, VRE or ESBL.
• Evaluate the impact of the HIP intervention on frequency and quality of hand hygiene, the application of standard precautions and the use of contact precautions during patient care.
• Evaluate the effect of the three strategies on other patient outcomes, including length of stay and in hospital mortality.
• Evaluate the overall antibiotic use and effectiveness of empirical treatment of ICU-acquired bacteremia.
• Evaluate the effect of the three strategies on the incidence density of new acquisitions with MRSA, VRE and ESBL individually.