A Phase 3 interventional study of Dexamethasone and Placebo in Tuberculosis, Tuberculous Meningitis and Drug-Induced Liver Injury, sponsored by Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Vietnam. Completed at 6 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-03-22.
Sponsored by Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Vietnam · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
The investigators will conduct a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial of adjunctive dexamethasone in the initial (6-8 weeks) treatment of tuberculous meningitis in Vietnamese adults. The trial will address a primary hypothesis in all enrolled patients, and a secondary hypothesis in a sub-group of enrolled patients who develop anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury (DILI). The primary hypothesis is adjunctive dexamethasone increases survival from TBM in HIV co-infected adults. The secondary hypothesis is current guidelines for the management of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury in those with TBM result in the premature interruption of rifampicin and isoniazid (the critical active drugs in early therapy) and are thereby placing participants at risk of poor outcomes.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes \~9 million new cases of tuberculosis and \~1.5 million deaths annually, around 0.4 million of whom are co-infected with HIV. Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of tuberculosis, killing around 30% of all sufferers despite appropriate anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. It is especially common in young children, and in those infected with HIV.
There is a longstanding hypothesis that death from TBM results from an excessive intracerebral inflammatory response. The corollary of this hypothesis has been that adjunctive anti-inflammatory treatment with corticosteroids (e.g. dexamethasone) improves survival, which has been demonstrated in predominantly HIV-uninfected individuals in a small number of trials. Yet how corticosteroids improve survival, and whether they do so in HIV-infected patients, remains uncertain. The primary objective of this trial is to determine whether or not adjunctive corticosteroids reduce deaths from TBM in HIV-infected adults.
Adjunctive dexamethasone might improve outcomes from HIV-associated TBM by diverse mechanisms. First, it may control the early intracerebral inflammatory response, reducing cerebral oedema and intra-cranial pressure. Second, it may prevent the potentially life-threatening complications of hydrocephalus, infarction and tuberculoma formation. Third, it may prevent the incidence of anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment-associated neurological immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). Finally, dexamethasone may help reduce the risk of drug-induced liver injury and thereby improve outcome by enabling uninterrupted anti-tuberculosis treatment.
The current evidence-base for using adjunctive corticosteroids for the treatment of HIV-associated TBM is restricted to 98 adults recruited to a trial in Vietnam published in 2004. This trial randomized a total of 545 subjects (98 of them HIV-positive) and reported an overall reduction in 9-month mortality due to dexamethasone from 41.3% (112/271) to 31.8% (87/274) (hazard ratio of time to death 0.69; 95% CI 0.52-0.92, P=0.01). While there was no clear evidence of treatment effect heterogeneity according to HIV status, the number of included HIV-infected subjects was low and the observed benefit in that subgroup was smaller: 61.4% (27/44) in the dexamethasone group died, compared to 68.5% (37/54) in the placebo group (hazard ratio of time to death 0.86; 95% CI 0.52-1.41; P=0.55).
There are limited data from HIV-infected patients with TBM treated with dexamethasone, but findings from studies using corticosteroids in HIV-infected individuals with other forms of tuberculosis and other opportunistic infections suggest corticosteroids may cause harm in those with advanced HIV infection. There is evidence that corticosteroids may increase the risk of HIV-associated malignancies, especially Kaposi sarcoma. Furthermore, a recent trial of adjunctive dexamethasone for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis performed in Southeast Asia and Africa found dexamethasone was associated with worse outcomes, with increased risk of secondary infections, hyperglycaemia and electrolyte abnormalities, and disability.
On the basis of these limited data most international guidelines cautiously recommend dexamethasone should be given for HIV-associated TBM, but all acknowledge the paucity of evidence and the need for additional controlled trial data. Our trial will meet the need for more data and aims to provide definitive evidence as to the risk/benefit of adjunctive dexamethasone in the treatment of this important and very severe disease.
Our secondary objective is to investigate alternative management strategies in a subset of patients who develop drug-induced liver injury that will enable the safe continuation of rifampicin and isoniazid therapy whenever possible. The investigators will perform an open, randomised comparison of three management strategies with the aim of demonstrating which strategy results in the least interruption in R and H treatment. All patients enrolled in the trial will be eligible to take part in this study, with the exception of those known to have TBM caused by isoniazid resistant or MDR M. tuberculosis. Consent will be sought at enrolment, with an option given to patients to enrol in the main study, but not the 'drug-induced liver injury strategy study'.
Eligible patients will be randomised to one of three strategies:
The primary endpoint is the proportion of time in the 60 days following randomisation during which neither rifampicin nor isoniazid are given (or the subject is dead). For example, if RH is interrupted for 18 days and the participant dies 48 days after randomization, the endpoint will be 50% [(18+(60-48))/60]. Rifampicin and isoniazid are considered critical drugs in early TBM treatment; inability to use these agents (either through bacterial resistance or patient intolerance) is associated with poor outcome. The vast majority of interruptions are expected to be shorter than one month for strategy 3 (standard of care) but as management strategies 1 and 2 delay the time point of the interruption, a longer cut-off of 60 days was chosen.
31 studies on the registry are indexed under Tuberculosis, Meningeal; 9 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 520 is above the median of 125 across 24 interventional studies indexed under Tuberculosis, Meningeal.
Browse Tuberculosis, Meningeal studies →Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Vietnam is the lead sponsor of 37 studies on the registry; 3 are open to participants now.
Compared within Tuberculosis, Meningeal, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Tuberculosis. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Note: Published diagnostic criteria will be applied to all enrolled participants at the end of the study when all mycobacterial culture results are available. The criteria will sub-divide all cases into definite, probable and possible TBM, and those with an alternative diagnosis.
Exclusion Criteria:
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.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
standard anti-tuberculosis drugs plus dexamethasone for 6-8 weeks
Drug: Dexamethasone
standard anti-tuberculosis drugs plus placebo for 6-8 weeks
Other: Placebo
Active treatment with dexamethasone from randomisation (IV followed by oral according to disease severity at the start of treatment): dexamethasone for intravenous injection and dexamethasone for oral ingestion
Treatment with matched placebo: Standard saline for intravenous injection and placebo oral tablets containing cellulose
Overall survival until 12 months after randomisation
The primary endpoint is overall survival, i.e. the time from randomization to death, during a follow-up period of 12 months. Survivors known to be alive at 12 months will be censored at that time-point and subjects who withdrew or were lost to follow-up before 12 months will be censored at the date they were last known to be alive.
Time frame: 12 months from randomisation
Neurological disability at 12 months (modified Rankin score)
Neurological disability will be assessed by the modified Rankin score (see below) on months 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 from randomisation. The main endpoint is the 12 month assessment and subjects who died before 12 months will be treated as having a score of 6 ('Dead'). The Modified Rankin Scale Score Description 0 No symptoms 1. Minor symptoms not interfering with lifestyle 2. Symptoms that lead to some restriction in lifestyle, but do not interfere with the patients ability to look after themselves 3. Symptoms that restrict lifestyle and prevent totally independent living 4. Symptoms that clearly prevent independent living, although the patient does not need constant care and attention. 5. Totally dependent, requiring constant help day and night. 6. Death
Time frame: at 12 months
Time to new neurological event (defined as a fall in GCS of ≥2 points for ≥48 hours, new focal neurological sign, or new onset of seizures) or death by 12 months
A neurological event is defined as a fall in Glasgow coma score by ≥2 points for ≥2 days from the highest previously recorded Glasgow coma score (including baseline) or the onset of any of the following clinical adverse events: cerebellar symptoms, focal neurological signs, or onset of seizures.
Time frame: by 12 months
Rate of neurological IRIS events up to 6 months from randomisation
The rate is defined as the number of IRIS events divided by the observed person-time of follow-up in each treatment group.
Time frame: 6 months from randomisation
Time to new AIDS-defining illness or death by 12 months
AIDS-defining illnesses will be defined as per the WHO classification.
Time frame: by 12 months
Serious adverse events by 12 months
Comparison of the frequency of serious adverse events between treatment groups will form an important part of the study analysis.
Time frame: by 12 months
HIV-associated malignancy by 12 months
The three major HIV-associated malignancies are Kaposi sarcoma, high grade B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and invasive cervical cancer.
Time frame: by 12 months
Overall survival
The main analysis of this trial will be performed at the time point where all randomized subjects have completed 12 months of follow-up. However, all participants will continue to be followed up for 24 months and overall survival will be reported once 24 month follow-up has been completed for all participants.
Time frame: by 24 months
Neurological disability
The main analysis of this trial will be performed at the time point where all randomized subjects have completed 12 months of follow-up. However, all participants will continue to be followed up for 24 months and neurological disability will be reported once 24 month follow-up has been completed for all participants.
Time frame: by 24 months
Time to new AIDS defining event or death
The main analysis of this trial will be performed at the time point where all randomized subjects have completed 12 months of follow-up. However, all participants will continue to be followed up for 24 months and this outcome will be reported once 24 month follow-up has been completed for all participants.
Time frame: by 24 months
Rate of HIV-related malignancy
The main analysis of this trial will be performed at the time point where all randomized subjects have completed 12 months of follow-up. However, all participants will continue to be followed up for 24 months and this outcome will be reported once 24 month follow-up has been completed for all participants.
Time frame: by 24 months
Recurrence of TBM within 24 months of follow-up
This outcome will be reported once 24 month follow-up has been completed for all participants.
Time frame: 24 months
Plan to share: Yes — The Oxford University Clinical Research Unit recognizes the ethical obligation to ensure that optimal use is made of the data and specimens that the investigators collect for our research and the value of sharing individual level data. The investigators aim to ensure that data generated from all our research are collected, curated, managed and shared in a way that maximizes their benefit. When sharing data the investigators have an obligation to ensure that the interests of research participants, researchers and other stakeholders are appropriately protected. The Oxford University Clinical Research Unit data sharing policy and the data request form outline the default procedures for data sharing.
Ran from May 2017 to primary completion in Apr 2022, 59 months.
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Studies of the drug tested here: Dexamethasone
Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Vietnam