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CompletedNCT01245036Updated May 15, 2013

Efficacy of Antituberculous Therapy in Management of Sarcoidosis

An interventional study of Antituberculous therapy along with steroids in Sarcoidosis and Tuberculosis, sponsored by Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. Completed at 1 site in India. Open to participants aged 15 Years to 75 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-05-15.

Sponsored by Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
100
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
15 Years to 75 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

From the time sarcoidosis has been described, there has always been a belief that the disease is in some way related to tuberculosis. If indeed tuberculosis is a causal factor in sarcoidosis, then the hypothesis can be further reinforced, if anti-tubercular therapy (ATT) is useful in treatment of sarcoidosis. Very few trials have been conducted in the past but the results of these trials have been discouraging. These trials were generally small studies and limited by time bias and used older regimens based on isoniazid, amino-salicylic acid and streptomycin. In our experience nearly one third of patients who are finally diagnosed to have sarcoidosis, have received ATT for variable length of time, but its impact of final outcome of sarcoidosis has not been studied. The aim of this prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Rifampicin and Isoniazid along with prednisolone compared to prednisolone alone in treatment of Sarcoidosis.

Read the detailed description

Sarcoidosis has evolved from the position of a disease of relative obscurity in the tropics, towards an increasing recognition and reporting from India and around. From the time sarcoidosis has been described, there has always been a belief that the disease is in some way related to tuberculosis. However, the inability to identify mycobacteria by histologic staining or culture from pathologic tissues continues to be one of the strongest arguments against a potential role for mycobacteria. Of late, molecular analysis (such as polymerase chain reaction [PCR] techniques) for nucleic acids of the putative agents serves as an alternative method for isolating fastidious organisms. A recent meta-analysis suggested a 30% prevalence rate of mycobacterial DNA in sarcoid samples but the individual studies reported detection rates from 0-50%. Moreover, most of these studies were published from countries with low prevalence for tuberculosis. If indeed mycobacteria are etiologically linked to sarcoidosis then the detection rates for mycobacterial DNA in sarcoid samples would be higher in countries with high prevalence of TB. In a recent prospective case-control study aimed at detection of mycobacterial DNA in patients with sarcoidosis from India, reinforced the hypothesis by showing mycobacterial DNA with PCR for 65 kDa protein gene in 48% of samples (BAL or biopsy) from freshly diagnosed patients of sarcoidosis.

There are numerous factors that favor mycobacteria being a trigger for sarcoidosis. These include histopathological appearances of the granulomas 15, reports of mycobacterial disease either existing coincidentally, succeeding or antedating sarcoidosis and the finding of mycobacteria in occasional granulomas of sarcoidosis.Passage experiments have also suggested that mycobacteria with characteristics of M. tuberculosis may be the incriminating agent.Recent studies on humoral immunity to mycobacterial antigens from sarcoidosis patients have renewed interest in a potential of mycobacteria in sarcoidosis. It has been shown that mycobacterial ESAT-6 and katG are recognized by sarcoidosis CD4+ T cells when presented by known sarcoidosis susceptibility allele, DRB1*1101. It is possible that the presence of mycobacterial infection or BCG vaccination in genetically predisposed host may be involved in the development of autoimmunity.It has also been suggested that the organism might exist in a cell wall deficient L-form and may be difficult to isolate.

This possible link not only has implications in the differential diagnosis of the two common conditions, it may also have some therapeutic implications. Reactivation of tuberculosis after cortico-steroid treatment is instituted for sarcoidosis is a genuine concern, given the high prevalence of latent infection in our country. If indeed tuberculosis is a causal factor in sarcoidosis, then the hypothesis can be further reinforced, if anti-tubercular therapy (ATT) is useful in treatment of sarcoidosis. Very few trials have been conducted in the past but the results of these trials have been discouraging. These trials were generally small studies and limited by time bias and used older regimens based on isoniazid, amino-salicylic acid and streptomycin. In our experience nearly one third of patients who are finally diagnosed to have sarcoidosis, have received ATT for variable length of time, but its impact of final outcome of sarcoidosis has not been studied.

The aim of this prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Rifampicin and Isoniazid along with prednisolone compared to prednisolone alone in treatment of Sarcoidosis.

02

Conditions studied

  • Sarcoidosis
  • Tuberculosis

Keywords

  • Sarcoidosis
  • Tuberculosis
03

In context

Tuberculosis

1,417 studies on the registry are indexed under Tuberculosis; 208 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 100 is below the median of 150 across 952 interventional studies indexed under Tuberculosis.

Browse Tuberculosis studies →

Lead sponsor

Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh is the lead sponsor of 290 studies on the registry; 42 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
15 Years to 75 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

newly diagnosed sarcoidosis defined by presence of all of the following criteria:

  1. Presence with clinical features of pulmonary (dyspnea, dry cough, chest pain, fever, fatigue or crackles) or extra pulmonary organ (lymph nodes, liver, spleen, skin, eyes, heart, etc.) involvement and consistent radiological involvement and
  2. Compact non-caseating granulomas on trans-bronchial biopsy which are tissue AFB smear-negative

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients who have received glucocorticoid treatment before initial evaluation by us, or with presence of concomitant other cardio pulmonary disease will be excluded.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
100 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Glucocorticoid arm

    Prednisolone 0.75 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks (maximum 60 mg) Prednisolone 0.5 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks (maximum 40 mg) Prednisolone 0.25 mg/kg/day for 6 months (maximum 20 mg) Taper over the next three months Prednisolone 0.25 mg/kg EOD for 15 days Prednisolone 0.125 mg/kg EOD for 15 days Then taper by 5 mg every 15 days to complete one year

    Drug: Antituberculous therapy along with steroids

Interventions

  • DrugAntituberculous therapy along with steroids

    INH (300 mg/day) plus Rifampicin (450 mg/day if wt.\<50 kg and 600 mg/day if wt. \>50 kg) for six months Prednisolone 1 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks (maximum 80 mg) Prednisolone 0.75 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks (maximum 60 mg) Prednisolone 0.5 mg/kg/day for 3 months (maximum 40 mg) Prednisolone 0.25 mg/kg/day for 3 months (maximum 20 mg) Taper over the next three months Prednisolone 0.25 mg/kg EOD for 15 days Prednisolone 0.125 mg/kg EOD for 15 days Then taper by 5 mg every 15 days to complete one year

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Remission rates

    Time frame: Three months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Relapse rates in the two groups

    Time frame: six and 12 months after completion of treatment

  2. Treatment related adverse effects in the two groups.

    Time frame: Through out

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Deaprtment of Pulmonary Medicine, PGIMER
    Chandigarh, 160012, India
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 15, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01245036
Lead sponsor
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh
Responsible party
Ritesh Agarwal (Associate Professor, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 22, 2010
Start date
Jan 2009
Primary completion
Dec 2012
Completion
Mar 2013
Last update
May 15, 2013

Study contacts

Dheeraj Gupta
principal investigator · PGIMER, Chandigarh

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in May 2013. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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