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Fungal InfectionSTAFENCT02154178

Fungal Biomarkers to Reduce Duration of Empirical Antifungal Therapy: a Randomized Comparative Study (STAFE)

A study testing Biomarker group in people with Fungal Infection and Critical Illness, run by University Hospital, Lille at 1 site in France.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The investigators hypothesized that the use of biomarkers of invasive fungal infections would increase the percentage of early discontinuation of empirical antifungal therapy and thus reduce the duration of treatment in ICU patients. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Fungal Infection, Critical Illness
What is being tested?
Biomarker group
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
110 participants
Where
1 siteFrance
Study dates
Jul 2014to Dec 2016
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age > or = 18 years
  • Patients requiring empiric antifungal therapy the first time in the ICU
  • Predictable duration of hospitalization in the ICU ≥ 6 days

Who cannot join

  • Neutropenia (WBC <1000 or neutrophils <500/mm3)
  • Immunosuppressive therapy (chemotherapy within 3 months prior to the ICU admission, solid organ graft under immunosuppressive therapy)
  • invasive fungal infection documented in the three previous months
  • Antifungal treatment in the three previous months
  • Pregnant or lactating women

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

France1 site
  • ICU, Salengro Hospital, University Hospital of Lille

    Lille, Nord, 59035

Other trials in France

About this study

Official title: Fungal Biomarkers to Reduce Duration of Empirical Antifungal Therapy: a Randomized Comparative Study

The investigators hypothesized that the use of biomarkers of invasive fungal infections would increase the percentage of early discontinuation of empirical antifungal therapy and thus reduce the duration of treatment in ICU patients.

Read the detailed description

The duration of empirical/preemptive anti fungal treatment will be based in the intervention group on biomarker results.

Biomarkers of fungal disease will performed before starting anti fungal treatment and at day 4.

Being tested
Biomarker group
Keywords
empiric antifungal therapy, biomarkers, invasive fungal infection, Candida
Medical subject headings
Mycoses, Critical Illness, Invasive Fungal Infections, Torulopsis

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Biomarker groupOther

    Also called intervention group

    use of invasive fungal disease biomarkers (β-1,3-glucan, mannan/anti-mannan antibodies)

Study groups in NCT02154178
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Biomarker groupExperimentalIntervention group, in which the duration of empirical antifungal therapy will be based on the results of biomarkers. Biomarker group
Receives: Other: Biomarker group
Control groupNo interventionControl group, in which the duration of empirical antifungal therapy will be based on international recommendations (14 days).

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. percentage of early discontinuation of empiric antifungal therapy

    Early discontinuation is defined as discontinuation of anti fungal treatment before the 7th day after the start of treatment

    Measured: 7 days

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. mortality in ICU

    death during the 28 days following ICU admission

    Measured: 28 days after ICU admission

  2. duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay

    mechanical ventilation duration during the 28 days following ICU admission

    Measured: 28 days after ICU admission

  3. fungal colonization / infection after antifungal therapy, with or without resistant strains

    Any fungal colonization or infection diagnosed during the 28 days following ICU admission

    Measured: 28 days after ICU admission

  4. the cost of the antifungal therapy on a per duration prescribe

    Measured: 28 days after ICU admission

  5. the cost of hospital stays

    Measured: 28 days after ICU admission

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted3 Jun 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study startJul 2014
  3. Primary completionOct 2016
  4. Study completionDec 2016

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
110 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02154178
Sponsor's protocol ID
2012_53
Other IDs
2013 A00756 39
Acronym
STAFE
Status last verified
Mar 2017
First submitted
24 May 2014
Last updated
22 Apr 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Rouze A, Loridant S, Poissy J, Dervaux B, Sendid B, Cornu M, Nseir S; S-TAFE study group. Biomarker-based strategy for early discontinuation of empirical antifungal treatment in critically ill patients: a randomized controlled trial. Intensive Care Med. 2017 Nov;43(11):1668-1677. doi: 10.1007/s00134-017-4932-8. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

    PubMed 28936678

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Biomarker group in people with Fungal Infection and Critical Illness, run by University Hospital, Lille at 1 site in France.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

percentage of early discontinuation of empiric antifungal therapy (time frame: 7 days). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02154178, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Apr 2026.

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