ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT01629771Updated Mar 20, 2014Results posted

Disability and Quality of Life in Patients With Lymphatic Filariasis in Rural Southern India

An observational study in Lymphatic Filariasis, sponsored by Northwestern University. Completed at 2 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-03-20.

Sponsored by Northwestern University · Observational

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Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
72
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

According to the World Health Organization, lymphatic filariasis, a mosquito-borne parasitic disease, is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Across 81 countries, approximately 120 million people are infected with the disease, and of those infected, an estimated 40% reside in India alone. The most disfiguring symptoms of lymphatic filariasis, elephantiasis and lymphedema, cause long-term suffering in patients who are then often embarrassed or even rejected from their communities. Because of the disease's debilitating physical and social effects on patients, this study will explore the intersection of disability and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in lymphatic filariasis patients in India. Specifically, HRQoL and disability in lymphatic filariasis subjects and age- and gender- matched control subjects will be compared. Two HRQoL tools , the general Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and a disease-specific instrument developed by a dermatology group in India will be used to gauge HRQol. In addition, the demographic and disease-specific factors associated with HRQoL and disability in filarial lymphedema subjects will be identified.

02

Conditions studied

  • Lymphatic Filariasis
03

In context

Elephantiasis, Filarial

42 studies on the registry are indexed under Elephantiasis, Filarial; 5 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 72 is below the median of 12,930 across 13 observational studies indexed under Elephantiasis, Filarial.

Browse Elephantiasis, Filarial studies →

Lead sponsor

Northwestern University is the lead sponsor of 1,424 studies on the registry; 199 are open to participants now.

Of its 105 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 78 (74%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

This study will be conducted in the Kasaragod district of Kerala, India. Subjects with a clinical diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis of a single body part or more will be recruited from the Institute of Applied Dermatology, and age-matched controls

Eligibility criteria

Case Inclusion Criteria

  • Subjects with a clinical diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis
  • Subjects over the age of 18 and able to give consent

Case Exclusion Criteria

  • Subjects on active treatment for lymphatic filariasis
  • Subjects who are under the age of 18 or unable to give

Control Inclusion Criteria

  • Subjects without a clinical diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis
  • Subjects over the age of 18 and able to give consent

Control Exclusion Criteria

  • Subjects without a clinical diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis
  • Subjects who are under the age of 18 or unable to give informed consent
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

05

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
72 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Lymphatic Filariasis
  • Patients without Lymphatic Filariasis
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Domain Scores

    The DLQI is a 10-item questionnaire measuring skin-specific quality of life through six domains: Symptoms \& Feelings, Daily Activities, Leisure, Work \& School, Personal Relationships, and Treatment. Symptoms \& Feelings, Daily Activities, Leisure, and Personal Relationships are each scored from 0 to 3, where 0 is associated with no effect on a patient's life, and 3 is associated with a large effect on a patient's life. Work \& School and Treatment are each scored from 0 to 3, where 0 is associated with no effect on a patient's life, and 6 is associated with a large effect on a patient's life.

    Time frame: Assessed after enrollment

  2. Lymphatic Filariasis-Specific Quality of Life (LFSQQ) Domain Scores

    The LFSQQ was developed to assess quality of life in subjects with lymphatic filariasis through seven domains: Mobility, Self-Care, Usual Activities, Disease Burden, Pain/Discomfort, Psychological Health, and Social Participation. Items are scored on a 5-point scale (no problem, mild, moderate, severe, most severe), and scores for each domain are calculated based on the number of questions answered and the raw scores. Scores for each domain range from 0 to 100, where 0 is associated with a worse quality of life and 100 is associated with a better quality of life.

    Time frame: Assessed after enrollment

  3. World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) Domain Scores

    The WHODAS 2.0 is a generic health and disability assessment tool that describes effects of disease on six domains: Cognition, Mobility, Self-Care, Getting Along, Life Activities, and Participation in Society. Responses are measured on a 5-point scale from 1 (no difficulty) to 5 (extreme difficulty or cannot do). Scores are calculated using a WHO SPSS 36 version syntax for employed subjects and a WHO SPSS 32 version syntax for unemployed subjects. Scores for each domain range from 0 to 100, where 0 is associated with no impairment of health status, and 100 is associated with a greater impairment of health status.

    Time frame: Assessed after enrollment

07

Results

Posted Aug 2, 2013

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneSubjects With Lymphatic FilariasisControl Subjects
Started3636
Completed3636
Not completed00

Outcome measures

PrimaryDermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Domain Scores

The DLQI is a 10-item questionnaire measuring skin-specific quality of life through six domains: Symptoms \& Feelings, Daily Activities, Leisure, Work \& School, Personal Relationships, and Treatment. Symptoms \& Feelings, Daily Activities, Leisure, and Personal Relationships are each scored from 0 to 3, where 0 is associated with no effect on a patient's life, and 3 is associated with a large effect on a patient's life. Work \& School and Treatment are each scored from 0 to 3, where 0 is associated with no effect on a patient's life, and 6 is associated with a large effect on a patient's life.

Time frame:
Assessed after enrollment
Reported as:
Median · units on a scale
Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Domain Scores
units on a scaleSubjects With Lymphatic FilariasisControl Subjects
Symptoms & Feelings3 (2 to 4)0 (0 to 0)
Daily Activities1 (0 to 2)0 (0 to 0)
Leisure1 (1 to 3)0 (0 to 0)
Work & School0 (0 to 1)0 (0 to 0)
Personal Relationships0 (0 to 1)0 (0 to 0)
Treatment0 (0 to 1)0 (0 to 0)
PrimaryLymphatic Filariasis-Specific Quality of Life (LFSQQ) Domain Scores

The LFSQQ was developed to assess quality of life in subjects with lymphatic filariasis through seven domains: Mobility, Self-Care, Usual Activities, Disease Burden, Pain/Discomfort, Psychological Health, and Social Participation. Items are scored on a 5-point scale (no problem, mild, moderate, severe, most severe), and scores for each domain are calculated based on the number of questions answered and the raw scores. Scores for each domain range from 0 to 100, where 0 is associated with a worse quality of life and 100 is associated with a better quality of life.

Time frame:
Assessed after enrollment
Reported as:
Median · units on a scale
Lymphatic Filariasis-Specific Quality of Life (LFSQQ) Domain Scores
units on a scaleSubjects With Lymphatic FilariasisControl Subjects
Mobility67 (58 to 80)100 (88 to 100)
Self-Care100 (82 to 100)100 (100 to 100)
Usual Activities92 (75 to 100)100 (100 to 100)
Disease Burden63 (60 to 75)100 (100 to 100)
Pain/Discomfort90 (83 to 96)100 (98 to 100)
Psychological Health75 (64 to 86)100 (95 to 100)
Social Participation67 (50 to 85)100 (100 to 100)
PrimaryWorld Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) Domain Scores

The WHODAS 2.0 is a generic health and disability assessment tool that describes effects of disease on six domains: Cognition, Mobility, Self-Care, Getting Along, Life Activities, and Participation in Society. Responses are measured on a 5-point scale from 1 (no difficulty) to 5 (extreme difficulty or cannot do). Scores are calculated using a WHO SPSS 36 version syntax for employed subjects and a WHO SPSS 32 version syntax for unemployed subjects. Scores for each domain range from 0 to 100, where 0 is associated with no impairment of health status, and 100 is associated with a greater impairment of health status.

Time frame:
Assessed after enrollment
Reported as:
Median · units on a scale
World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) Domain Scores
units on a scaleSubjects With Lymphatic FilariasisControl Subjects
Cognition15 (3 to 20)0 (0 to 3)
Mobility50 (19 to 69)0 (0 to 13)
Self-Care5 (0 to 10)0 (0 to 0)
Getting Along25 (0 to 33)0 (0 to 0)
Life Activities20 (0 to 40)0 (0 to 5)
Participation in Society25 (17 to 38)0 (0 to 8)

Adverse events

Non-serious events are listed at a 5% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Subjects With Lymphatic Filariasis———
Control Subjects———

Baseline characteristics

Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(years)Subjects With Lymphatic FilariasisControl SubjectsTotal
Mean51.7 ± 16.252.3 ± 16.152.0 ± 16.0
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Subjects With Lymphatic FilariasisControl SubjectsTotal
Female282856
Male8816
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(participants)Subjects With Lymphatic FilariasisControl SubjectsTotal
India363672
08

Study locations

2 sites
  • Northwestern University Department of Dermatology
    Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
  • Institute of Applied Dermatology
    Kasaragod district, Kerala, India
09

References and documents

Publications

  • Michael E, Bundy DA, Grenfell BT. Re-assessing the global prevalence and distribution of lymphatic filariasis. Parasitology. 1996 Apr;112 ( Pt 4):409-28. doi: 10.1017/s0031182000066646. PubMed 8935952 ↗
  • Coreil J, Mayard G, Louis-Charles J, Addiss D. Filarial elephantiasis among Haitian women: social context and behavioural factors in treatment. Trop Med Int Health. 1998 Jun;3(6):467-73. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.1998.00238.x. PubMed 9657509 ↗
  • Recommendations of the International Task Force for Disease Eradication. MMWR Recomm Rep. 1993 Dec 31;42(RR-16):1-38. PubMed 8145708 ↗
  • Dreyer G, Noroes J, Figueredo-Silva J. New insights into the natural history and pathology of bancroftian filariasis: implications for clinical management and filariasis control programmes. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2000 Nov-Dec;94(6):594-6. doi: 10.1016/s0035-9203(00)90200-1. No abstract available. PubMed 11198637 ↗
  • Raju K, Jambulingam P, Sabesan S, Vanamail P. Lymphatic filariasis in India: epidemiology and control measures. J Postgrad Med. 2010 Jul-Sep;56(3):232-8. doi: 10.4103/0022-3859.68650. PubMed 20739779 ↗
  • Narahari SR, Aggithaya MG, Prasanna KS, Bose KS. An integrative treatment for lower limb lymphedema (elephantiasis). J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Feb;16(2):145-9. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0546. No abstract available. PubMed 20180687 ↗
  • Finlay AY, Khan GK. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)--a simple practical measure for routine clinical use. Clin Exp Dermatol. 1994 May;19(3):210-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2230.1994.tb01167.x. PubMed 8033378 ↗
  • International Society of Lymphology. The diagnosis and treatment of peripheral lymphedema. 2009 Concensus Document of the International Society of Lymphology. Lymphology. 2009 Jun;42(2):51-60. No abstract available. PubMed 19725269 ↗
10

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
Not marked actual or estimatedDates not marked actual or estimated

The record gives a start of May 2012, a primary completion of Jun 2012 and a completion of Jun 2012. It does not say whether these dates are actual or estimated.

Results were first posted in Aug 2013, 1 year 2 months after primary completion.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jun 26, 2012
First posted
Jun 28, 2012
Start
May 2012
Primary completionActual
Jun 2012
CompletionActual
Jun 2012
Results first posted
Aug 2, 2013
Last update
Mar 20, 2014
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 20, 2014, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01629771
Responsible party
Roopal Kundu (Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Northwestern University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 28, 2012
Start date
May 2012
Primary completion
Jun 2012
Completion
Jun 2012
Results posted
Aug 2, 2013
Last update
Mar 20, 2014

Study contacts

Roopal Kundu, MD
principal investigator · Northwestern University

Oversight

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

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This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2014. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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