Table 4 Design outcomes and corresponding research question

Follow-up

Determine appropriate time point to estimate a parameter: Mizumoto [24]; Lipsitch [29]; Wu [30]; Scott [37]; Herzog [38]; Hallett [32]

Timing of sampling

Determine appropriate time point to estimate a parameter: Mizumoto [24]; Lipsitch [29]; Wu [30]; Scott [37]; Herzog [38]; Hallett [32]

Frequency

Detect infection early: Graat [16]; Michael [17]; Gonzales [22]

Estimate epidemiological parameters: Pinsent [25]; Vinh [27]

Compare different trial arms: Wu [30]

Number

Detect infection early: Gonzales [22]

Compare different trial arms: Wu [30]

Monitoring

Detect infection early: Michael [17]; Savill [18]

Follow trial progression: Cori [35]; Scott [37]

Sample size

Detect infection early: Graat [16]; Michael [17]; Arnold [19]; Smieszek [20]; Ciccolini [21]; Gonzales [22]; Leslie [23]; van Bunnik [26]

Estimate epidemiological parameters: Atlas [28]; Pinsent [25]; Vinh [27]

Compare different trial arms: Wu [30]; Hallett [32]; Dimitrov [33], Nishiura [34]; Herzog [38]

Whom

Detect infection early: Arnold [19]; Smieszek [20]; Ciccolini [21]; Leslie [23]; van Bunnik [26]

Include potentially good responders in a RCT: Clermont [31]

Power

Estimate epidemiological parameters: Vinh [27]

Compare different trial arms: Wu [30]; Hallett [32]; Dimitrov [33]; Nishiura [34]; Cori [35]; Cuadros [36]; Herzog [38]

Detect changes in infection values over time: Michael [17]