Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36220325›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2022

Experiences and challenges faced by patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalised and participated in a randomised controlled trial: a qualitative study.

Lukas Hofstetter, Viktoria Tinhof, Hannah Mayfurth, Amelie Kurnikowski, Vincent Rathkolb, Roman Reindl-Schwaighofer, Marianna Traugott, Sara Omid, Alexander Zoufaly, Allison Tong and 2 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04351724 (A Multicenter, Randomized, Active Controlled, Open Label, Platform Trial on the Efficacy and Safety of Experimental Therapeutics for Patients With COVID-19), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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.

NCT04351724 phase2 / phase3unknown statusnot on this map

A Multicenter, Randomized, Active Controlled, Open Label, Platform Trial on the Efficacy and Safety of Experimental Therapeutics for Patients With COVID-19 (Caused by Infection With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2)

TypeinterventionalSponsorMedical University of ViennaRan2020 to 2022Enrolled500ConditionsCOVID-19ArmsChloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir/Ritonavir, Best standard of care, Rivaroxaban, Thromboprophylaxis
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. 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

12 authors.

Lukas HofstetterDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
Viktoria TinhofDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
Hannah MayfurthDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
Amelie KurnikowskiDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
Vincent RathkolbDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
Roman Reindl-SchwaighoferDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
Marianna TraugottDepartment of Internal Medicine IV, Klinik Favoriten, Wien, Austria.
Sara OmidDepartment of Internal Medicine IV, Klinik Favoriten, Wien, Austria.
Alexander ZoufalyDepartment of Internal Medicine IV, Klinik Favoriten, Wien, Austria.
Allison TongSydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-8973-9538
Ulrich KropiuniggDepartment of Medical Psychology, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
Manfred HeckingDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria manfred.hecking@meduniwien.ac.at.ORCID 0000-0002-8047-2395

Funding

Austrian Science Fund FWF KLI 861
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAs part of a randomised controlled trial, this qualitative study aimed to identify experiences and challenges of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 during illness and treatment (objective 1: COVID-19-related perspectives; objective 2: trial participation-related perspectives).

designSemistructured interviews following a prespecified interview guide, transcribed verbatim and analysed in accordance with the grounded theory process. Investigator triangulation served to ensure rigour of the analysis.

settingInterviews were embedded in a multicentre, randomised, active-controlled, open-label platform trial testing efficacy and safety of experimental therapeutics for patients with COVID-19 (Austrian Corona Virus Adaptive Clinical Trial).

participants20 patients (60±15 years) providing 21 interviews from 8 June 2020 to 25 April 2021.

resultsQualitative data analysis revealed four central themes with subthemes. Theme 1, 'A Severe Disease', related to objective 1, was characterised by subthemes 'symptom burden', 'unpredictability of the disease course', 'fear of death' and 'long-term aftermaths with lifestyle consequences'. Theme 2, 'Saved and Burdened by Hospitalization', related to objective 1, comprised patients describing their in-hospital experience as 'safe haven' versus 'place of fear', highlighting the influence of 'isolation'. Theme 3, 'Managing One's Own Health', related to objective 1, showed how patients relied on 'self-management' and 'coping' strategies. Theme 4, 'Belief in Medical Research', related to objective 2, captured patients' 'motivation for study participation', many expressing 'information gaps' and 'situational helplessness' in response to study inclusion, while fewer mentioned 'therapy side-effects' and provided 'study reflection'. Investigator triangulation with an expert focus group of three doctors who worked at the study centre confirmed the plausibility of these results.

conclusionsSeveral of the identified themes (2, 3, 4) are modifiable and open for interventions to improve care of patients with COVID-19. Patient-specific communication and information is of utmost importance during clinical trial participation, and was criticised by participants of the present study. Disease self-management should be actively encouraged. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04351724.

Indexed as

COVID-19Adaptive Clinical Trials as TopicHospitalizationHospitalsHumansMulticenter Studies as TopicQualitative ResearchRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSARS-CoV-2COVID-19MEDICAL ETHICSQUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Identifiers

PMID36220325
PMCPMC9556753

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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.