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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.

Contact Information:

Prof Alastair Hay
+44 1179287376
rapidtest-study@bristol.ac.uk


Study Location:

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Be Part of Research - Trial Details - Rapid respiratory microbiological point-of-care-testing in primary care (RAPID-TEST trial)
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Rapid respiratory microbiological point-of-care-testing in primary care (RAPID-TEST trial)

Not Recruiting

Open to: All Genders

Age: Mixed

Bristol Bristol Bristol Cirencester Clevedon Bristol Bristol Stroud Bath Bristol Gloucester Chippenham Weston-super-mare Bristol Radstock Bristol

Medical Conditions

Respiratory infection

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


In the UK, GPs treat over 50% of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) with antibiotics despite strong evidence that the majority of patients do not benefit. Antibiotics can have side effects and unnecessary overuse leads to antimicrobial resistance which is a top 10 threat to global public health. One potential solution is use of point-of care-tests (POCT) which are medical tests conducted at the time and place of patient care. Rapid respiratory point-of-care-tests (POCTRM) could be used to inform antibiotic prescribing decisions.
This is a multi-centre, individually randomised controlled trial to determine whether respiratory microbiological point-of-care-tests (POCTRM) reduce same day antibiotic prescribing and modify clinician and patient beliefs about the need for antibiotics. The trial aims to recruit 514 participants from up to 16 GP practices across England.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

14 Nov 2022 30 Sep 2024

Publications

2024 Protocol article in https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38768129/ (added 22/05/2024)

A swab of the nose and throat will be taken from participants using standard kits provided.
Participants will be individually randomised 1:1 to intervention (GP POCTRM Test) or control (No GP POCTRM Test). For participants randomised to GP POCTRM Test, a portion of the swab sample will be analysed immediately at the GP practice using the POCTRM machine. The time for processing one swab to results being available is approximately 1 hour.
The remaining swab sample from participants in the intervention arm and the whole swab sample from participants in the control arm will be transferred within 24 hours to the central research laboratory. The central lab will repeat testing using the POCTRM machine and will also conduct extended testing for respiratory viruses and bacteria.
The Study Clinician will be informed of the participant’s allocated group immediately after randomisation. For participants randomised to GP POCTRM Test, the Study Clinician will need to wait to receive the POCTRM result before deciding whether any treatment is required. For participants randomised to No GP POCTRM Test, decisions can proceed immediately.

Participants will be asked to complete a Trial Diary for up to 28 days or until symptoms resolve, whichever is sooner. They will also be sent a 2-month follow up questionnaire.


Patients aged >=12 months presenting to their GP practice for a suspected respiratory infection where the Study Clinician and/or participant believe antibiotic treatment is, or may be, necessary will be invited to take part.

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Patient known to have cystic fibrosis2. Patient requires hospital admission3. Previous participation in the current RAPID-TEST trial4. Participation in another study of RTI < = 6 weeks prior to randomisation


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • Nightingale Valley Practice
    Wick Road
    Bristol
    BS4 4HU
  • Whiteladies Medical Group
    Whiteladies Health Centre Whatley Road Clifton
    Bristol
    BS8 2PU
  • Mendip Vale Medical Practice
    Langford Surgery Pudding Pie Lane Langford
    Bristol
    BS40 5EL
  • Phoenix Health Group
    Phoenix Cirencester 9 Chesterton Lane
    Cirencester
    GL7 1XG
  • Clevedon Medical Centre
    Old Street
    Clevedon
    BS21 6DG
  • Streamside Surgery
    Eastland Road Thornbury
    Bristol
    BS35 1DP
  • Hartwood Healthcare
    Hareclive Road
    Bristol
    BS13 0JP
  • Prices Mill Surgery
    Newmarket Road Nailsworth
    Stroud
    GL6 0DQ
  • Heart of Bath
    45 Upper Oldfield Park
    Bath
    BA2 3HT
  • Close Farm Surgery
    47 Victoria Road Warmley North Common
    Bristol
    BS30 5JZ
  • Severnside Medical Practice
    Quayside House Quay Street
    Gloucester
    GL1 2TZ
  • Hathaway Surgery
    32 New Road
    Chippenham
    SN15 1HP
  • Stafford Medical Group
    Locking Castle Medical Centre Highlands Lane
    Weston-super-mare
    BS24 7DX
  • Harbourside Family Practice
    The Marina Healthcare Ctr 2 Haven View Portishead
    Bristol
    BS20 7QA
  • Hope House Surgery
    Hope House Centre 10 Waterloo Road
    Radstock
    BA3 3EP
  • West Walk Surgery
    Yate West Gate Centre 21 West Walk
    Bristol
    BS37 4AX

For participants in the group allocated to receiving the POCTRM results, those results may help the GP decide whether an antibiotic is required to treat their respiratory tract infection. Some people find taking part in research rewarding and may benefit from the extra contact from being part of the trial. Involvement in the trial may help to inform future treatment recommendations for patients with respiratory tract infections.
Participating in this trial will mean taking time out of normal activities to allow the trial research team to collect information from participants about their respiratory tract infection. The trial research team will also need to collect information about participant’s views at three separate points during the day that they present to their GP. Participants may need to wait longer than usual for the GP to make a decision about whether any antibiotic treatment will be prescribed. Participants will also need to spend a couple of minutes every day completing the Trial Diary for up to 28 days and a couple of minutes completing the 2-Month Questionnaire.

Prof Alastair Hay
+44 1179287376
rapidtest-study@bristol.ac.uk



The study is sponsored by University of Bristol and funded by NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Co-ordinating Centre (NETSCC).



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What will you do next?
Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN16039192

Or CPMS 53931

Last updated 25 October 2024

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