The novel lung disease COVID-19 causes severe clinical courses of disease that may require intensive-care treatment. A specific therapy or a vaccine are not in sight. In addition to the important general measures that have recently been introduced and implemented, research into the disease plays a central role. Currently, little is known about this completely new type of pneumonia. The factors predicting a severe course of disease are unknown, including underlying diseases predisposing to a severe course, previous complications that have to be taken into account, the influence of pre-existing therapies and what specifically causes mortality in individual cases. Does our knowledge of the previously known form of pneumonia and lung failure also apply to COVID-19? The CAPNETZ network intends to answer this and many more questions.

CAPNETZ (CAP = Community Acquired Pneumonia) has become the world's largest research network for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) since 2001. In its observational study, CAPNETZ has so far recorded and documented clinical data on CAP from over 13,000 patients. The data are used for scientific analysis with regard to the underlying pathogens, therapy management, comorbidities and the clinical course and mortality of CAP.

Based on their expertise, CAPNETZ was able quickly to initiate the necessary research into corona disease. Within a week, all the prerequisites were created to be able to make patient data available to research in the near future. For this, the clinics participating in the CAPNETZ study, are now also including COVID-19 patients with and without pneumonia in the study.

The CAPNETZ research network was established in 2001 with long-term funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The CAPNETZ STIFTUNG was founded in 2007 and has been the sponsor of the study and research network ever since. CAPNETZ is an associated partner of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL) and is largely funded by the DZL. Over 40 clinics are currently participating in CAPNETZ and many more are interested in participating in the inclusion of Covid patients.

For further information please refer to: https://www.capnetz.de/html/capnetz/project

Contact: Ms. Grit Barten-Neiner, Managing Director CAPNETZ STIFTUNG, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hanover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, phone: 0511-532-4434

Text: CAPNETZ/ Barten