Published Articles

Journal: JAMA (2023)

What it was: 

This pre-specified secondary analysis of the ongoing REMAP-CAP adaptive platform trial enrolled nearly 5,000 critically ill adults with COVID-19 across multiple countries. The study looked at how different treatments affected survival and other clinical outcomes up to 180 days after hospital admission.

Key finding: 

Treatments such as IL-6 receptor antagonists were associated with improved long-term mortality compared with control, while other interventions varied in their effects. This helps clinicians understand not just short-term survival, but long-term benefit from therapeutic strategies in severe COVID-19. 

Journal: JAMA (2023)

What it was: 

This publication combined data from two harmonised randomised clinical trials (including a vitamin C domain within REMAP-CAP and the LOVIT-COVID trial) to test whether high-dose intravenous vitamin C improves outcomes for patients hospitalised with COVID-19.

Key finding: 

High-dose IV vitamin C did not improve organ support-free days or hospital survival and showed a low probability of benefit, providing strong evidence against its routine use in this context. This helped clinicians focus on interventions that do improve outcomes. 

Journal: (Published 2023)

What it was:

Part of the REMAP-CAP adaptive platform trial, this study evaluated whether adding simvastatin, a widely available cholesterol-lowering drug, improved outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Key finding: 

The trial did not meet the prespecified criteria to show that simvastatin was superior to control for the outcomes measured. This is important because it helps rule out treatments that don’t meaningfully change patient trajectories, narrowing the focus to therapies that do. 

"I've contributed to multiple peer-reviewed clinical research publications arising from the REMAP-CAP international adaptive platform trial and related harmonised studies, focusing on the safety and effectiveness of potential COVID-19 therapies, including long-term outcomes, intravenous vitamin C, and repurposed medications."

-Morteza Balaie MPharmS PgDip CEPIP