International SARS-CoV-2 Infection Observational Study (ICOS)
While a proportion of people with COVID-19 require immediate hospitalisation due to the severity of their symptoms, in others the symptoms may remain mild. In some cases with initially mild symptoms, they may worsen a few days later. In order to address the healthcare challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to understand risk factors which may cause differences in how the disease progresses between individuals.
We are conducting an international observational cohort study of adults with COVID-19 infection who do not require immediate hospitalisation (‘outpatients’). We will study how the disease progresses in these outpatients over a 28 day follow up period, and then will identify risk factors for hospitalisation or death.
We are developing a cohort of COVID-19 outpatients, recruited from geographic locations where there is a high incidence of infection. The observational cohort study will run over 12 months. Over this time, adults who seek testing for COVID-19 will be screened and then those with confirmed infection will form our cohort for this study. Each participant’s progress will be followed for 28 days. Our study will compare characteristics such as demographics, pre-infection health status and other possible risk factors for disease progression among the participants.
Since our study will analyse data on outcomes such as hospitalisation or death, the results from this study will help us to analyse trends in the progression of the disease. We will also compare factors such as demographics, comorbidities or immunosuppression for the global cohort and by geographic region.
The study aims to identify risk factors for progression and severity of COVID-19 infection. The study will ultimately help to design future interventions to reduce the rate of disease progression and morbidity.
This work is carried out by the International Network for Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials (INSIGHT).
In collaboration with four International Coordinating Centers (ICCs) of the INSIGHT Network:
- Centre of Excellence for Health, Immunity and Infections (CHIP), Copenhagen, Denmark
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinical Trials Unit at University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
- Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Australia
- Institute for Clinical Research at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, D.C., USA
