EMPIRICAL

Pneumonia is the main cause of death in HIV-infected children. A significant amount of undiagnosed or poorly treated children living with HIV present with severe pneumonia in health systems. Even for those children who are hospitalized, mortality is extremely high despite prompt ART initiation. Visit the EMPIRICAL website.

What is EMPIRICAL?


Empirical treatment against cytomegalovirus and tuberculosis in severe pneumonia in HIV-infected infants: a randomized controlled clinical trial

EMPIRICAL is a randomised controlled clinical trial established to to evaluate the safety and efficacy of empirical treatment against cytomegalovirus and tuberculosis in infants living with HIV aged 1 month to 12 months admitted to hospital with severe pneumonia. The trial will be conducted in Cote d’Ivoire, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Penta is a partner in this project.

Why is EMPIRICAL needed?


Pneumonia is the main cause of death in children living with HIV. A significant amount of undiagnosed or poorly treated children living with HIV present with severe pneumonia in health systems. Even for those children who are hospitalized, mortality is extremely high despite prompt ART initiation. To improve the health outcomes of infants living with HIV with severe pneumonia, effective drugs must be developed and knowledge of low respiratory infectious diseases must be improved.

What is EMPIRICAL’s goal?


The overarching goal of EMPIRICAL is to develop an empirical treatment against cytomegalovirus and tuberculosis in severe pneumonia in infants living with HIV. It also aims to improve capacity building in order to give developing countries the possibility to carry out clinical trials according to good standards.

This project is part of the EDCTP2 programme supported by the European Union