Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34474667›Full record

ArticleBMC family practice2021

Surveillance and care for confirmed and suspected patients with COVID-19 in general practice (CovidCare): study protocol for an observational trial.

Mariell Hoffmann, Sandra Stengel, Johanna Forstner, Annika Baldauf, Gunter Laux, Frank Aluttis, Markus Qreini, Peter Engeser, Joachim Szecsenyi, Frank Peters-Klimm

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMC family practice, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Mariell HoffmannDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. mariell.hoffmann@med.uni-heidelberg.de.ORCID 0000-0003-3303-7478
Sandra StengelDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Johanna ForstnerDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Annika BaldaufDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Gunter LauxDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Frank AluttisDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Markus QreiniDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Peter EngeserDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Joachim SzecsenyiDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Frank Peters-KlimmDepartment of General Practice and Health Services Research, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.

Funding

AOK Baden-Württemberg not applicable
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead from asymptomatic through to critical disease in a dynamic and unpredictable course within a few days. The challenge in outpatient monitoring the highly contagious COVID-19 disease during the ongoing pandemic is to filter severe courses followed by admission to hospital with the aim of preventing an overburdening of clinics. However, little is known of the effect of risk factors on the course of the infection of outpatient patients. To support general practices in managing high risk patients, we designed a COVID-19 surveillance and care tool (CovidCare). It includes an initial assessment of yet known risk factors and symptoms and a continuous telephone monitoring of signs and symptoms. This study aims to investigate the effects of different risk factors on the course of the COVID-19 disease, utilisation of different health care services and to gain insights into the utilisation of CovidCare in general practices.

methodsWe will conduct a multi-centered prospective, longitudinal non-controlled observational trial of COVID-19 patients in general practices. Overall, 700 GPs who participate in general-practice centered care by the AOK Baden-Württemberg (large German sickness fund) are eligible and will be invited for study participation, including adult, outpatient COVID-19 patients (or urgent suspicion and ≥ 50 years) with at least one additional known risk factor, who participate in general-practice centered care. The primary outcome is hospitalisation due to COVID-19. Secondary outcomes are diagnosis of pneumonia, utilisation of palliative care, mortality rate, anxiety and identification of predictive risk factors. Quantitative data analysis will focus on valid descriptive figures and mixed regression models. The accompanying process evaluation is based on interviews and questionnaires from general practice staff and patients. The analysis of the process evaluation is descriptive and explorative. DISCUSSION: The use of the COVID-19 surveillance and care tool is expected to encourage the provision of structured quality of care during the ongoing pandemic. This trial will provide an understanding of the COVID-19-disease and the effect of several risk factors on the course of the disease and health care utilisation. The results can be used for a better management of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences.

trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register DRKS00022054 .

Indexed as

COVID-19General PracticeAdultHumansMiddle AgedObservational Studies as TopicPandemicsProspective StudiesSARS-CoV-2Treatment OutcomeCare toolCOVID-19General practitionerManagementOutpatient sectorPandemicSurveillance toolSymptom diary

Identifiers

PMID34474667
PMCPMC8412868

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.