ClinicalTrials.gg
Enrolling by invitationNCT06178627ABNCMUpdated Dec 21, 2023

Amphotericin B for Non-HIV Cryptococcal Meningitis Patients

A Phase 4 interventional study of Amphotericin B 0.5 mg/kg/day i.v. combined with flucytosine four times per day orally for the first 4 weeks. and Amphotericin B 0.7 mg/kg/day i.v. combined with flucytosine four times per day orally for the first 4 weeks. in Cryptococcal Meningitis and Antifungal Agents, sponsored by Huashan Hospital. Enrolling by invitation at 2 sites in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-12-21.

Sponsored by Huashan Hospital · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Aug 2025, 1 year 2 months ago, but the record still lists the study as enrolling by invitation.
  • Registered 3 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Aug 2023, registered Dec 2023).
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
250
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gatti are important causes of central nervous system (CNS) infections with significant mortality, remaining a great public health challenge worldwide. Commonly seen as an opportunistic infection in adults with HIV/AIDS, cryptococcal meningitis (CM) accounts for 15% of HIV-related mortality globally [1]. In addition, a growing number of non-HIV CM patients have been observed in recent years with fatality approaching 30% in some areas [2,3]. It occurs in both those with natural or iatrogenic immunosuppression, as well as the apparently immunocompetent individuals. Approximately 65-70% of non-HIV CM patients were without any predisposing factors, particularly in the East Asia [4,5]. With the increasing number of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, solid organ transplantation recipients and administration of immunosuppressive and corticosteroids agents, this illness will assume even greater public health significance.

Current Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guideline suggest the use of combination antifungal therapy: normal dose amphotericin (0.7-1mg/kg/day) combined with flucytosine for a minimum of 4 weeks, followed by fluconazole (600-800 mg/day) for a minimum of 10 weeks in total for HIV patients [6]. However, for non-HIV and immunocompetent patients, the treatment remains controversial. IDSA guideline recommended that the treatment of non-HIV patients could refer to the treatment of HIV patients. That is, amphotericin B combined with flucytosine is still administered in the induction period. However, as amphotericin B have nonspecific effect on ergosterol, it has strong side effects (hepatorenal toxicity, electrolyte disorder, anemia, ventricular fibrillation, etc.). Therefore, the dose of amphotericin B may not be appropriate for Asian patients due to the different drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic. In the prospective studies of Bennett[7] and Dismuke[8], low dose amphotericin B (0.3 mg/kg/d) combined with flucytosine achieved response rates of 66% and 85% at 6 weeks, respectively. A similar conclusion was also extracted from a large multicenter retrospective study that low dose amphotericin B (\<0.7 mg/kg/d) combined with flucytosine for a minimum of 2 weeks, followed by fluconazole could achieve a response rate of 84%, indicating that the efficacy of low dose amphotericin B (\< 0.7 mg/kg/d) may be equivalent with normal dose in non-HIV patients. Therefore, we plan to conduct a prospective, multicenter, open-label randomized controlled study to compare the efficacy and safety of normal dose amphotericin B (0.7 mg/kg/ d) and low dose amphotericin B (0.5 mg/kg/d) in the initial antifungal treatment for non-HIV cryptococcal meningitis patients.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cryptococcal Meningitis
  • Antifungal Agents

Keywords

  • Cryptococcal Meningitis
  • Antifungal agents
  • amphotericin B
  • non-HIV
03

In context

Meningitis, Cryptococcal

54 studies on the registry are indexed under Meningitis, Cryptococcal; 6 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 250 is above the median of 143 across 35 interventional studies indexed under Meningitis, Cryptococcal.

Browse Meningitis, Cryptococcal studies →

Lead sponsor

Huashan Hospital is the lead sponsor of 247 studies on the registry; 104 are open to participants now.

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
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. Age more than 18 years
  2. antibody negative
  3. Cryptococcal meningitis defined as a syndrome consistent with CM and one or more of: 1) positive CSF India ink (budding encapsulated yeasts), 2) C.neoformans cultured from CSF or blood, 3) positive cryptococcal antigen Lateral Flow Antigen Test (LFA) in CSF, 4) positive brain tissue representing Cryptococcus
  4. Having no severe conditions
  5. to participate given by patient or acceptable representative

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Previously cryptococcal disease
  2. Currently receiving treatment for cryptococcal meningitis and having received ≥72 hours of anti-cryptococcal meningitis therapy in 96 hours
  3. lower than 80 ml/min
  4. Liver dysfunction (defined as or AST > 2× and > 1.5×ULN, or ALT or AST > 3×ULN, or bilirubin > 2×ULN)
  5. Liver cirrhosis or chronic liver failure
  6. Pregnancy or breast-feeding
  7. Known allergy to study drugs
  8. Failure to consent - the patient, or if they are incapacitated, their responsible relative, declines to enter the study
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(7)

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.

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.

Immunosuppression

A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.

Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.

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.

Creatinine clearance (CrCl)

How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

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.

Bilirubin

A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.

Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
250 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Normal dose amphotericin B (0.7 mg/kg/d)

    Study regimen 1: amphotericin B 0.7 mg/kg/day i.v. plus flucytosine for 4 weeks

    Drug: Amphotericin B 0.7 mg/kg/day i.v. combined with flucytosine four times per day orally for the first 4 weeks.

  • Experimental
    Low dose amphotericin B (0.5 mg/kg/d)

    Amphotericin B 0.5 mg/kg/day i.v. plus flucytosine for 4 weeks

    Drug: Amphotericin B 0.5 mg/kg/day i.v. combined with flucytosine four times per day orally for the first 4 weeks.

Interventions

  • DrugAmphotericin B 0.5 mg/kg/day i.v. combined with flucytosine four times per day orally for the first 4 weeks.

    Drug page: Amphotericin B

    Different amphotericin B dosage

  • DrugAmphotericin B 0.7 mg/kg/day i.v. combined with flucytosine four times per day orally for the first 4 weeks.

    Drug page: Amphotericin B

    Different amphotericin B dosage

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Mortality rate at 4 weeks after randomization.

    The primary end point was mortality rate at 4 weeks after randomization. Mortality was treated as a binary variable, and the generalized linear model (GLM) was used for non-inferiority test. Point estimation and one-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) estimation of mortality difference between the two groups will be performed. If the upper limit value of 95% CI is less than 0.10 of the non-inferiority margin, the research result is considered to be in line with the non-inferiority margin. Kaplan-meier was used to draw the four week survival curves of the two groups, and log rank method was used to test the survival curves. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the risk of death (HR) and 95% CI of the two groups. Sensitivity analysis: in the above analysis, the patients who lost the follow-up within 4 weeks were excluded for sensitivity analysis; The above non inferiority test GLM analysis and cox model included confounding variables (baseline Log10 fungal load, w

    Time frame: 4 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. EFA rate at 2 weeks after randomization

    All recorded longitudinal quantitative fungal count measurements up to day 35 (allowing for some delays in the day 28 measurements) will be included in the analysis. EFA will be modeled based on a linear mixed effects model with longitudinal log10-CSF quantitative culture fungal counts as the outcome, interaction terms between the treatment groups and the time since enrolment of the measurement as fixed covariates and random patient-specific intercepts and slopes. The lowest measurable quantitative count is 5 CFU/ml and values below the detection limit (which correspond to recorded values of 0) will be treated as \<4.5 CFU/ml, i.e. non-detectable measurements will be treated as left-censored longitudinal observations in the analysis. Based on this model, EFA will be compared between the 3 treatment arms in all patients (intention to treat), in the per-protocol population, and subgroups defined by immune status (immunocompromised; immunocompetent) and baseline fungal burden.

    Time frame: 2 weeks

  2. urvival until 2 weeks, 10 weeks and 6 months after randomization

    Overall survival will be visualized using Kaplan-Meier curves and modeled using the Cox proportional hazards regression model with stratification by immune status. In addition, survival will be modeled with a multivariable Cox regression model including the following covariates in addition to the treatment group: baseline log10-fungal load, Glasgow coma score less than 15 (yes or no) and immune status.

    Time frame: up to 6 months

  3. Disability at 10 weeks and 6 months

    The disability score at week 10 follow-up is defined as the higher (worse) of " the three simple questions" and the modified Rankin score assessed at that time point, and will be categorized as good outcome, intermediate disability, severe disability, or death (in case the patient died before 10 weeks) as previously described (wellcome-45). The ordinal 10-week score ("good"\>"intermediate"\>"severe"\> "death") will be compared between the 3 arms with a proportional odds logistic regression model depending on the treatment arm. The result will be summarized as a cumulative odds ratio with corresponding 95% confidence interval and P value. Patients lost to follow up will be analyzed according to their last recorded disability status. If the rate of patients lost to follow-up exceeds 10%, we will also perform an alternative analysis based on multiple imputation of missing values. The three simple questions and the modified Rankin score are listed in Appendix 4.

    Time frame: up to 6 months

  4. Adverse events

    The frequency of serious and grade 3\&4 adverse reactions as well as the frequency of specific adverse events will be summarized (both in terms of the total number of events as well as the number of patients with at least one event). The proportion of patients with at least one such event (overall and for each specific event separately) will be summarized and (informally) compared between the 3 treatment groups based on χ2 test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. 6) Visual deficit at 10 weeks and 6 months

    Time frame: 4 weeks

  5. Visual deficit at 10 weeks and 6 months

    The visual acuity at 10 weeks is recorded on a 6 point scale (see Appendix 5) and will be summarized by treatment arm for each eye separately, and overall where "overall" is defined as the worst recorded acuity of either eye. The odds of having "normal acuity" (amongst all surviving patients with a visual assessment) will be informally compared between the treatment arms with a logistic regression model adjusted for immune status.

    Time frame: up to 6 months

  6. Time to new neurological event or death until 10 weeks

    The time to the first new neurological event or death until 10 weeks will be analyzed in the same way as overall survival. Longitudinal measurements of intracranial pressure during the first 2 weeks will be modeled using a mixed effect model as described for the primary outcome.

    Time frame: up to 10 weeks

  7. Rate of IRIS at 10 weeks and 6 months

    The rate of IRIS and the rate of relapse (defined as antifungal treatment intensification or re-treatment) will be modeled with cause-specific proportional hazards models with treatment as the only covariate and stratification by immune status.

    Time frame: up to 6 months

07

Study locations

2 sites
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Lortholary O, Dromer F, Mathoulin-Pelissier S, Fitting C, Improvisi L, Cavaillon JM, Dupont B; French Cryptococcosis Study Group. Immune mediators in cerebrospinal fluid during cryptococcosis are influenced by meningeal involvement and human immunodeficiency virus serostatus. J Infect Dis. 2001 Jan 15;183(2):294-302. doi: 10.1086/317937. Epub 2000 Dec 8. PubMed 11110651 ↗
  • Jiang YK, Wu JQ, Zhao HZ, Wang X, Wang RY, Zhou LH, Yip CW, Huang LP, Cheng JH, Chen YH, Li H, Zhu LP, Weng XH. Genetic influence of Toll-like receptors on non-HIV cryptococcal meningitis: An observational cohort study. EBioMedicine. 2018 Nov;37:401-409. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.10.045. Epub 2018 Oct 23. PubMed 30366814 ↗
  • Haddow LJ, Colebunders R, Meintjes G, Lawn SD, Elliott JH, Manabe YC, Bohjanen PR, Sungkanuparph S, Easterbrook PJ, French MA, Boulware DR; International Network for the Study of HIV-associated IRIS (INSHI). Cryptococcal immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV-1-infected individuals: proposed clinical case definitions. Lancet Infect Dis. 2010 Nov;10(11):791-802. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(10)70170-5. PubMed 21029993 ↗
  • Chau TT, Mai NH, Phu NH, Nghia HD, Chuong LV, Sinh DX, Duong VA, Diep PT, Campbell JI, Baker S, Hien TT, Lalloo DG, Farrar JJ, Day JN. A prospective descriptive study of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV uninfected patients in Vietnam - high prevalence of Cryptococcus neoformans var grubii in the absence of underlying disease. BMC Infect Dis. 2010 Jul 9;10:199. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-10-199. PubMed 20618932 ↗
  • Thwaites GE, Nguyen DB, Nguyen HD, Hoang TQ, Do TT, Nguyen TC, Nguyen QH, Nguyen TT, Nguyen NH, Nguyen TN, Nguyen NL, Nguyen HD, Vu NT, Cao HH, Tran TH, Pham PM, Nguyen TD, Stepniewska K, White NJ, Tran TH, Farrar JJ. Dexamethasone for the treatment of tuberculous meningitis in adolescents and adults. N Engl J Med. 2004 Oct 21;351(17):1741-51. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa040573. PubMed 15496623 ↗
  • Beardsley J, Wolbers M, Kibengo FM, Ggayi AB, Kamali A, Cuc NT, Binh TQ, Chau NV, Farrar J, Merson L, Phuong L, Thwaites G, Van Kinh N, Thuy PT, Chierakul W, Siriboon S, Thiansukhon E, Onsanit S, Supphamongkholchaikul W, Chan AK, Heyderman R, Mwinjiwa E, van Oosterhout JJ, Imran D, Basri H, Mayxay M, Dance D, Phimmasone P, Rattanavong S, Lalloo DG, Day JN; CryptoDex Investigators. Adjunctive Dexamethasone in HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis. N Engl J Med. 2016 Feb 11;374(6):542-54. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1509024. PubMed 26863355 ↗
  • Day JN, Chau TTH, Wolbers M, Mai PP, Dung NT, Mai NH, Phu NH, Nghia HD, Phong ND, Thai CQ, Thai LH, Chuong LV, Sinh DX, Duong VA, Hoang TN, Diep PT, Campbell JI, Sieu TPM, Baker SG, Chau NVV, Hien TT, Lalloo DG, Farrar JJ. Combination antifungal therapy for cryptococcal meningitis. N Engl J Med. 2013 Apr 4;368(14):1291-1302. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1110404. PubMed 23550668 ↗
  • Zhao HZ, Wang RY, Wang X, Jiang YK, Zhou LH, Cheng JH, Huang LP, Harrison TS, Zhu LP. High dose fluconazole in salvage therapy for HIV-uninfected cryptococcal meningitis. BMC Infect Dis. 2018 Dec 12;18(1):643. doi: 10.1186/s12879-018-3460-7. PubMed 30541454 ↗
  • Perfect JR, Dismukes WE, Dromer F, Goldman DL, Graybill JR, Hamill RJ, Harrison TS, Larsen RA, Lortholary O, Nguyen MH, Pappas PG, Powderly WG, Singh N, Sobel JD, Sorrell TC. Clinical practice guidelines for the management of cryptococcal disease: 2010 update by the infectious diseases society of america. Clin Infect Dis. 2010 Feb 1;50(3):291-322. doi: 10.1086/649858. PubMed 20047480 ↗
  • Chen J, Varma A, Diaz MR, Litvintseva AP, Wollenberg KK, Kwon-Chung KJ. Cryptococcus neoformans strains and infection in apparently immunocompetent patients, China. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008 May;14(5):755-62. doi: 10.3201/eid1405.071312. PubMed 18439357 ↗
  • Zhu LP, Wu JQ, Xu B, Ou XT, Zhang QQ, Weng XH. Cryptococcal meningitis in non-HIV-infected patients in a Chinese tertiary care hospital, 1997-2007. Med Mycol. 2010 Jun;48(4):570-9. doi: 10.3109/13693780903437876. PubMed 20392150 ↗
  • Brizendine KD, Baddley JW, Pappas PG. Predictors of mortality and differences in clinical features among patients with Cryptococcosis according to immune status. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e60431. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060431. Epub 2013 Mar 26. PubMed 23555970 ↗
  • Rajasingham R, Smith RM, Park BJ, Jarvis JN, Govender NP, Chiller TM, Denning DW, Loyse A, Boulware DR. Global burden of disease of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: an updated analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017 Aug;17(8):873-881. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30243-8. Epub 2017 May 5. PubMed 28483415 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 21, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06178627
Lead sponsor
Huashan Hospital
Responsible party
Li-Ping Zhu (Professor, Huashan Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 21, 2023
Start date
Aug 13, 2023
Primary completion
Aug 31, 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Aug 31, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Dec 21, 2023

Oversight

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

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