Project CLEAR - Changing Lives by Eradicating Antibiotic Resistance (CLEAR)

This randomized controlled trial will compare strategies to reduce the risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection and re-hospitalization in MRSA carriers. This trial will provide critical answers about the role of decolonization versus standard-of-care education in preventing MRSA infections in the large group of high risk MRSA-positive patients being discharged from hospitals. Findings could potentially impact best practice for the 1.8 million MRSA carriers who are discharged from US hospitals each year.

This randomized controlled trial will compare strategies to reduce the risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection and re-hospitalization in MRSA carriers. This trial will provide critical answers about the role of decolonization versus standard-of-care education in preventing MRSA infections in the large group of high risk MRSA+ patients being discharged from hospitals. Findings could potentially impact best practice for the 1.8 million MRSA carriers who are discharged from US hospitals each year. Specific Aims: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is arguably the most important single pathogen in healthcare-associated infection when accounting for virulence, prevalence, diversity of disease spectrum, and propensity for widespread transmission. MRSA infection causes or complicates 300,000 hospitalizations each year [Klein, Smith, Laxminarayan], a number which has doubled in the past five years. An additional 1.5 million hospitalized patients either acquire or already harbor the pathogen without current infection. Altogether, these 1.8 million MRSA inpatient carriers experience a high amount of MRSA invasive disease in the year following discharge. Due to increased delivery of complex medical care at home or other post-hospital settings, more and more patients experience serious healthcare-associated morbidity after hospital discharge.[Huang, Platt; Huang, Hinrichsen, Stulgis et al.] In fact, over 80% of patients admitted for MRSA infection have had prior healthcare exposures and are at high risk for repeated MRSA infection.[Huang, Platt; Huang, Hinrichsen, Stulgis et al.; Klevens, Morrison, Nadle, et al.] Project CLEAR compares two strategies to reduce infection and re-hospitalization due to MRSA among patients being discharged from hospitals. Our trial will compare a long-term regimen aimed at eradicating MRSA body reservoirs with patient education on general hygiene and self care, which is the current standard of care. Our specific aims are: To conduct a randomized controlled trial of serial decolonization versus standard-of-care patient education among MRSA carriers upon hospital discharge to reduce post-discharge MRSA infection and re-hospitalization for one year To identify predictors of a) infection or re-hospitalization due to MRSA, and b) successful MRSA decolonization, including patient demographics, comorbidities, medical devices, risk behaviors, socioeconomic status, and colonizing MRSA genotype To estimate medical and non-medical costs of MRSA infection among MRSA carriers and evaluate the potential for cost savings associated with decolonization

Participants in this arm will be instructed to complete a decolonization regimen that will involve a 5-day application of nasal mupirocin, oral CHG rinse, and CHG body wash twice a month.

Patients randomized to standard education will receive a binder with MRSA educational materials which will include or be based upon CDC guidance for MRSA patients at home. In addition, educational material on hygiene practices to prevent MRSA infection will be provided.

Patients randomized to standard education will receive a binder with MRSA educational materials which will include or be based upon CDC guidance for MRSA patients at home.

Participants in this arm will be instructed to complete a decolonization regimen that will involve a 5-day application of nasal mupirocin, oral CHG rinse, and CHG body wash twice a month.

Time in days to MRSA inpatient or outpatient infection (analyzed with the use of unadjusted Cox proportional-hazard models to identify time to infection; the results we are reporting are number of participants who had an infection event at one year post discharge)

Time in days to all-cause infection (analyzed with the use of unadjusted Cox proportional-hazard models to identify time to infection; the results we are reporting are number of participants who had an infection event at one year)

Inclusion Criteria: 1) At least 18 years old 2) Have had a positive culture (a type of test) for MRSA during recent hospital admission or within the 30 days prior to admission or following discharge 3) Able to give consent or have a primary caregiver provide consent 4) Able to bathe or shower or have this consistently performed by a willing caregiver Exclusion Criteria: 1) Known allergies to chlorhexidine or mupirocin

Klein E, Smith DL, Laxminarayan R. Hospitalizations and deaths caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, United States, 1999-2005. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007 Dec;13(12):1840-6. doi: 10.3201/eid1312.070629.

Huang SS, Platt R. Risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection after previous infection or colonization. Clin Infect Dis. 2003 Feb 1;36(3):281-5. doi: 10.1086/345955. Epub 2003 Jan 17.

Huang SS, Hinrichsen VH, Stulgis L, Miroshnik I, Datta R, Watson K, Platt R. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection in the Year Following Detection of Carriage (oral presentation). Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America Annual Meeting (Chicago, IL), March 18-21, 2006.

Klevens RM, Morrison MA, Nadle J, Petit S, Gershman K, Ray S, Harrison LH, Lynfield R, Dumyati G, Townes JM, Craig AS, Zell ER, Fosheim GE, McDougal LK, Carey RB, Fridkin SK; Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) MRSA Investigators. Invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in the United States. JAMA. 2007 Oct 17;298(15):1763-71. doi: 10.1001/jama.298.15.1763.

Huang SS, Singh R, McKinnell JA, Park S, Gombosev A, Eells SJ, Gillen DL, Kim D, Rashid S, Macias-Gil R, Bolaris MA, Tjoa T, Cao C, Hong SS, Lequieu J, Cui E, Chang J, He J, Evans K, Peterson E, Simpson G, Robinson P, Choi C, Bailey CC Jr, Leo JD, Amin A, Goldmann D, Jernigan JA, Platt R, Septimus E, Weinstein RA, Hayden MK, Miller LG; Project CLEAR Trial. Decolonization to Reduce Postdischarge Infection Risk among MRSA Carriers. N Engl J Med. 2019 Feb 14;380(7):638-650. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1716771.