East Sussex Scientists Help In Covid-19 Research

Wednesday, 15 July 2020 23:46

By John Warburton @Warblefly

Eastbourne DGH (Photo: Julian P. Gruffogg / Creative Commons)

Researchers working for the NHS trust running Eastbourne's DGH and The Conquest in Hastings claimed to have begun clinical studies on possible treatments for Covid-19 well ahead of the timescales they were expected to keep.

Liz Still is head of research at the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

She said:

"We are proud of our contribution to major international research in the fight to develop treatments for Covid-19.

"Covid-19 is a new disease which we need to find out as much as we can about it, as soon as possible.

"Research allows us to answer questions about Covid-19.

"By gathering information about a disease we can find ways of diagnosing it faster and better ways of looking after and treating people with the disease."

In January the Trust was approached to take part in research (CCP-UK) for all patients with suspected and confirmed Covid-19 and began to collect anonymous information about all people admitted to our hospitals within the Trust.

In late March, the Trust was approached to set up the RECOVERY clinical trial involving 5 different medicines which were already on the market, but were being used in a different way.

Trust managers said their colleagues in research worked to open this trial within 16 days of receiving study information, and recruited the first patient within a further 7 days.

They called it "exceptional performance", because the target is usually much longer — 70 days.

A total of 22 patients have been recruited so far.

Researchers said the trial has led to ground breaking results in the use of dexamethasone which can prevent serious complications and death in significant numbers of patients around the world.

The Trust has opened a total of seven Urgent Public Health Covid-19 research studies, and three related studies.

This has enabled 370 patients to contribute to research into medicines, oxygen use, triage in emergency departments, critical care, pregnancy and neonatal specialties, and critical care rehabilitation.