Pharmacodynamic Effect of Different Dosage Regimes of #Oseltamivir in Severe #Influenza Patients Requiring Mechanical #Ventilation: A Multicentre Randomised Controlled Trial
ABSTRACT Background and Objectives This randomised controlled trial evaluated whether higher doses of oseltamivir would improve virological and clinical outcomes in severe influenza patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. Methods Forty intubated adult patients with severe influenza A or B from four intensive care units in Hong Kong were enrolled and randomised to receive either a double dose (300 mg/day) or a triple dose (450 mg/day) of oseltamivir for 10 days. Baseline data were collected, and outcomes were assessed daily using SOFA and Murray scores. Viral RNA was quantified from nasopharyngeal and tracheal aspirates. The primary outcome was the viral clearance rate after 5 days of treatment; secondary outcomes included 28-day and hospital mortality rates, changes in viral load, and serial SOFA and Murray scores. Results Viral clearance rates after 5 days of treatment were low and similar between the double (3/20, 15%) and triple-dose groups (2/20, 10%). No significant di...