ClinicalTrials.gg
Status unknownNCT03303053ChoPSUpdated Oct 5, 2017

Efficacy and Safety of Cholestyramine and Prednisolone as Adjunctive Therapy in Treatment of Overt Hyperthyroidism

A Phase 3 interventional study of Cholestyramine Powder 4g and Prednisolone in Hyperthyroidism and Graves Disease, sponsored by Clinical Research Centre, Malaysia. Status unknown at 3 sites in Malaysia. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2017-10-05.

Primary conditionGraves DiseaseRegistry: HyperthyroidismReclassifiedWhy we changed it
Registry
Hyperthyroidism — the first condition term the registry derived for this study.
ClinicalTrials.gg
Graves Disease
Why
  1. The study's listed conditions name Graves Disease, a narrower term within Hyperthyroidism.
Confidence
High: the new condition is named in the study's own listed conditions. Of 351 hand-checked studies reclassified this way, 68% were exactly right and 84% in the right disease family; the registry's first term was right for 5% (measured 2026-10-21). How we classify →
Wrong?
Tell us the study's main condition →

Sponsored by Clinical Research Centre, Malaysia · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Oct 2017), so the status shown — last known as Recruiting — may be out of date.

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 4 months after the study started (first participant enrolled May 2017, registered Sep 2017).
Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
135
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Hyperthyroidism is the second most common endocrine disorder in the world with Graves' disease being the commonest. Anti thyroid drugs including methimazole, carbimazole, and propylthiouracil are effective treatments but take in most cases between 6 to 8 weeks to achieve euthyroidism. This study aim to assess the efficacy of cholestyramine and prednisolone as adjunctive treatment to standard treatment in patients with overt hyperthyroidism in 4 weeks.

Read the detailed description

Hyperthyroidism is the second most common endocrine disorder in the world with an estimate prevalence rate of 0.5-1.3% with Graves' disease being the commonest cause.

Uncontrolled hyperthyroidism results in increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality primarily due to heart failure and thromboembolism. Therefore treatment is essential to restore a euthyroid state in order to reverse the cardiovascular complications.

Anti thyroid drugs (ATDs) including methimazole, carbimazole, and propylthiouracil are effective treatments that inhibit thyroid hormone synthesis, and have clinically important immunosuppressive effects including reducing serum antithyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) concentration with time but take in most cases between 6 to 8 weeks to achieve euthyroidism. Therefore there may be a role for adjunctive treatment added on to ATDs. It may be situations where adjunctive treatment is required to alleviate symptoms and restore euthyroidism rapidly such as before surgery or radioactive iodine treatment or in vulnerable groups such as the elderly or those with serious thyrotoxic complications.

This study aim to assess the efficacy of cholestyramine and prednisolone as adjunctive treatment to standard treatment in patients with overt hyperthyroidism in 4 weeks. Cholestyramine is an anion exchange resin that binds thyroxine (T4) in the intestine resulting in fecal excretion of T4 thus reducing the enterohepatic circulation and absorption in hyperthyroidism. Steroids have been shown to be effective in controlling hyperthyroidism by inhibiting the conversion of thyroxine to triiodothyronine peripherally and also blocks the release of thyroxine from the thyroid gland. It may also have the potential to suppress the immune response and hence decrease stimulation of the thyroid gland in Graves.

135 patients with moderate to severe uncontrolled overt hyperthyroid patients secondary to Graves disease will be randomized into 3 groups. Group 1 patients will be treated with cholestyramine 4g twice a day plus carbimazole and propanolol for 4 weeks. Group 2 patients will be treated with prednisolone 30 mg daily for week 1, 20 mg daily for week 2, 10 mg daily for week 3 and 5 mg daily for week 4 plus carbimazole and propanolol for 4 weeks. Group 3 patients will be treated with carbimazole 30 mg daily and propanolol 40 mg bd for 4 weeks. Patients will have their clinical status (weight, blood pressure, pulse rate) measured at baseline along with a TRAb level and Free Triiodotyronine (T3), Free T4 and Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. They will be evaluated at week 2 and week 4 of intervention period and have their clinical status (weight, blood pressure, pulse rate) and laboratory (Free T3, Free T4, TSH, Potassium, Fasting/random blood glucose) measured. Adverse events will be monitored at week 2, 4, and 6.

02

Conditions studied

  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Graves Disease

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Keywords

  • Hyperthyroidism,Graves disease,Cholestyramine,Prednisolone
03

In context

Graves Disease Reclassified

162 studies on the registry are indexed under Graves Disease; 53 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 135 is above the median of 60 across 104 interventional studies indexed under Graves Disease.

Browse Graves Disease studies →

Lead sponsor

Clinical Research Centre, Malaysia is the lead sponsor of 30 studies on the registry; 5 are open to participants now.

Compared within Graves Disease, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Hyperthyroidism. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

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.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Provision of written consent by subject or guardian.
  2. Subject of either sex, more than 18 years of age
  3. Subjects with moderate to severe overt hyperthyroidism (caused by Graves' disease).

    • Moderate to severe overt hyperthyroidism is defined as Free T4> 1.5 times reference range and TSH below lower limit of reference range, who are either newly diagnosed or previously diagnosed and receiving ATDs currently.
    • Graves disease is defined as hyperthyroidism coupled with clinical signs of symmetrical diffuse goiter, thyroid orbitopathy, or diffuse and vascular thyroid on ultrasound or positive TRAb antibody
  4. Female patients will either be

    • for > 2 years
    • Women of can be included if surgically sterile or using double with at least one method being barrier contraception. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test at screening and at randomisation. Pregnancy tests will be repeated during each visit.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Inability or unwillingness to provide written consent.
  2. Inability or unwillingness to comply with the requirements of the protocol as determined by the investigator.
  3. Pregnancy, breastfeeding or use of non-reliable method of .
  4. Subjects with history of chronic liver disease, chronic renal failure, heart failure, diabetes mellitus
  5. Subjects with history of peptic ulcer disease, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, diverticulitis or ulcerative colitis.
  6. Subjects who have recently had live or attenuated virus vaccines
  7. Subjects with current infection (systemic fungal, active tuberculosis, cerebral malaria, viral hepatitis, )
  8. Subjects with cataracts and glaucoma
  9. Subjects with osteoporosis
  10. Subjects with psychiatric disorders
  11. Subjects with complete biliary obstruction, bleeding disorders, hypertriglyceridemia (fasting triglyceride levels > 300mg/dL)
  12. Previous history of adverse reactions to cholestyramine or other bile acid sequestrants
  13. Previous history of adverse reactions to prednisolone or other compound
  14. Current use of cholestyramine or prednisolone or other steroid compound
  15. Participation in another clinical trial and/or receipt of cholestyramine or prednisolone within 4 weeks prior to screening visit.
  16. Subjects with history of bronchial asthma, bronchospasm, peripheral vascular disease or adverse reactions to propanolol
  17. Subjects with adverse reactions to carbimazole
  18. Hypokalemia (serum K+ \<3.5 mmol/L)
  19. Thyroid storm defined as Burch Wartofsky Score >45
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(6)

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.

ULN (upper limit of normal)

The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.

“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.

Postmenopausal

Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

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.

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.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
135 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Group1:Cholestyramine+standard treatment

    Cholestyramine powder 4g twice daily, Tablet Carbimazole 30 mg daily, Tablet propanolol 40 mg twice daily for 4 weeks

    Drug: Cholestyramine Powder 4g

  • Experimental
    Group2:Prednisolone+standard treatment

    Tablet prednisolone 30 mg daily for week 1, 20 mg daily for week 2, 10 mg daily for week 3 and 5 mg daily for week 4, Tablet carbimazole 30 mg daily, Tablet propanolol 40 mg twice daily for 4 weeks

    Drug: Prednisolone

  • Active comparator
    Group 3: Standard treatment alone

    Carbimazole 30 mg daily and propanolol 40 mg twice daily for 4 weeks

    Drug: Standard treatment

Interventions

  • Cholestyramine powder 4g twice daily, Tablet Carbimazole 30 mg daily, Tablet propanolol 40 mg twice daily for 4 weeks

    Also known as: Questran

  • Tablet prednisolone 30 mg daily for week 1, 20 mg daily for week 2, 10 mg daily for week 3 and 5 mg daily for week 4, Tablet carbimazole 30 mg daily, Tablet propanolol 40 mg twice daily for 4 weeks

  • DrugStandard treatment

    Carbimazole 30 mg daily and propanolol 40 mg twice daily for 4 weeks

    Also known as: Carbimazole + Propanolol

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Percentage of patients whose Free T4 normalize between the groups

    Normal Free T4 is defined as Free T4 level between 9-25 pmol/L

    Time frame: 4 weeks

  2. Percentage of patients whose Free T3 normalize between the groups

    Normal free T3 is defined as Free T3 level between 3.5-6.5 pmol/L

    Time frame: 4 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Adverse events between the groups

    Number of adverse events between the groups

    Time frame: 6 weeks

  2. Reduction in Free T4 levels

    Reduction in Free T4 levels ( Change from baseline within 4 weeks)

    Time frame: 4 weeks

  3. Reduction in Free T3 levels

    Reduction in Free T3 levels (Change from baseline within 4 weeks)

    Time frame: 4 weeks

07

Study locations

3 of 3 sites recruiting
  • Hospital Queen Elizabeth 2
    Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88300, Malaysia
    Recruiting
    • Yin Khet Fung, Dr. · Contactfung@doctors.org.uk · +6 088324600
    • Gayathri D Krishnan, Dr. · Contactkgaya3@yahoo.com · +6 088324600
    • Pei Lin Chan, Dr. · Sub investigator
  • Hospital Ampang
    Ampang, Selangor 68000, Malaysia
    Recruiting
  • Hospital Putrajaya
    Putrajaya, Wilayah Persekutuan 62250, Malaysia
    Recruiting
    • Serena SK Khoo, Dr. · Contactsk_liv@rocketmail.com · +6 03 83124200
    • Zanariah Hussein, Dr. · Contactzanariahh@hotmail.com · +6 03 83124200
    • Siti A Alias, Dr · Sub investigator
    • Lisa Mohamed Nor, Dr · Sub investigator
    • Rashidah Bahari, Dr · Sub investigator
    • Nurul Z Badarudin, Dr · Sub investigator
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Nakamura H, Noh JY, Itoh K, Fukata S, Miyauchi A, Hamada N. Comparison of methimazole and propylthiouracil in patients with hyperthyroidism caused by Graves' disease. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Jun;92(6):2157-62. doi: 10.1210/jc.2006-2135. Epub 2007 Mar 27. PubMed 17389704 ↗
  • Hollowell JG, Staehling NW, Flanders WD, Hannon WH, Gunter EW, Spencer CA, Braverman LE. Serum TSH, T(4), and thyroid antibodies in the United States population (1988 to 1994): National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Feb;87(2):489-99. doi: 10.1210/jcem.87.2.8182. PubMed 11836274 ↗
  • Garmendia Madariaga A, Santos Palacios S, Guillen-Grima F, Galofre JC. The incidence and prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in Europe: a meta-analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Mar;99(3):923-31. doi: 10.1210/jc.2013-2409. Epub 2014 Jan 1. PubMed 24423323 ↗
  • Ross DS, Burch HB, Cooper DS, Greenlee MC, Laurberg P, Maia AL, Rivkees SA, Samuels M, Sosa JA, Stan MN, Walter MA. 2016 American Thyroid Association Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Hyperthyroidism and Other Causes of Thyrotoxicosis. Thyroid. 2016 Oct;26(10):1343-1421. doi: 10.1089/thy.2016.0229. Erratum In: Thyroid. 2017 Nov;27(11):1462. doi: 10.1089/thy.2016.0229.correx. PubMed 27521067 ↗
  • Dahl P, Danzi S, Klein I. Thyrotoxic cardiac disease. Curr Heart Fail Rep. 2008 Sep;5(3):170-6. doi: 10.1007/s11897-008-0026-9. PubMed 18752767 ↗
  • Frost L, Vestergaard P, Mosekilde L. Hyperthyroidism and risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter: a population-based study. Arch Intern Med. 2004 Aug 9-23;164(15):1675-8. doi: 10.1001/archinte.164.15.1675. Erratum In: Arch Intern Med. 2005 Feb 14;165(3):307. PubMed 15302638 ↗
  • Sundaresh V, Brito JP, Wang Z, Prokop LJ, Stan MN, Murad MH, Bahn RS. Comparative effectiveness of therapies for Graves' hyperthyroidism: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Sep;98(9):3671-7. doi: 10.1210/jc.2013-1954. Epub 2013 Jul 3. PubMed 23824415 ↗
  • Kaykhaei MA, Shams M, Sadegholvad A, Dabbaghmanesh MH, Omrani GR. Low doses of cholestyramine in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. Endocrine. 2008 Aug-Dec;34(1-3):52-5. doi: 10.1007/s12020-008-9107-5. Epub 2008 Oct 23. PubMed 18946743 ↗
  • Migneco A, Ojetti V, Testa A, De Lorenzo A, Gentiloni Silveri N. Management of thyrotoxic crisis. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2005 Jan-Feb;9(1):69-74. PubMed 15850146 ↗
  • Solomon BL, Wartofsky L, Burman KD. Adjunctive cholestyramine therapy for thyrotoxicosis. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1993 Jan;38(1):39-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1993.tb00970.x. PubMed 8435884 ↗
  • Mercado M, Mendoza-Zubieta V, Bautista-Osorio R, Espinoza-de los Monteros AL. Treatment of hyperthyroidism with a combination of methimazole and cholestyramine. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1996 Sep;81(9):3191-3. doi: 10.1210/jcem.81.9.8784067. PubMed 8784067 ↗
  • Jude EB, Dale J, Kumar S, Dodson PM. Treatment of thyrotoxicosis resistant to carbimazole with corticosteroids. Postgrad Med J. 1996 Aug;72(850):489-91. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.72.850.489. PubMed 8796215 ↗
  • Baeza A, Aguayo J, Barria M, Pineda G. Rapid preoperative preparation in hyperthyroidism. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1991 Nov;35(5):439-42. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1991.tb03562.x. PubMed 1814659 ↗
  • Page SR, Sheard CE, Herbert M, Hopton M, Jeffcoate WJ. A comparison of 20 or 40 mg per day of carbimazole in the initial treatment of hyperthyroidism. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1996 Nov;45(5):511-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2265.1996.00800.x. Erratum In: Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1997 Feb;46(2):240. PubMed 8977745 ↗
  • Ozawa Y, Daida H, Shimizu T, Shishiba Y. Rapid improvement of thyroid function by using glucocorticoid indicated for the preoperative preparation of subtotal thyroidectomy in Graves' disease. Endocrinol Jpn. 1983 Feb;30(1):93-100. doi: 10.1507/endocrj1954.30.93. PubMed 6688394 ↗
  • Conn HO, Poynard T. Corticosteroids and peptic ulcer: meta-analysis of adverse events during steroid therapy. J Intern Med. 1994 Dec;236(6):619-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1994.tb00855.x. PubMed 7989897 ↗

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 5, 2017, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03303053
Lead sponsor
Clinical Research Centre, Malaysia
Collaborators
Ministry of Health, Malaysia
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 5, 2017
Start date
May 11, 2017
Primary completion
Mar 1, 2018 (estimated)
Completion
Mar 1, 2018 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 5, 2017

Study contacts

Serena SK Khoo, Dr.
Contact
sk_liv@rocketmail.com
+603 83124200
Zanariah Hussein, Dr.
Contact
zanariahh@hotmail.com
+03 83124200
Serena SK Khoo, Dr.
principal investigator · HospitalPutrajaya

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Studies of the drugs tested here: Cholestyramine Resin · Prednisolone

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