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Not yet recruitingNCT06266221SEMCORTICOUpdated Feb 20, 2024

Severe Erythema Multiforme - CORTICO

A Phase 3 interventional study of Prednisone 20 Mg and Oral Placebo in Erythema Multiforme, sponsored by Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 15 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-02-20.

Sponsored by Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
96
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
15 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

Erythema multiforme (EM) is an acute and often recurrent mucocutaneous disease. EM is considered a hypersensitivity immune-mediated reaction. The two main known triggering factors are Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infections. Typical target skin lesions characterize EM, especially oral MMs. EM is in fact mainly linked to the oral MM involvement, including intense mucosal pain, impaired food intake, weight loss, hospitalization and potential risk of fibrotic sequelae (oral, ocular, genital, oesophageal, respiratory tract) and recurrences.

The objectives of treatment for severe EM in the acute phase are to reduce the duration of lesions, prevent complications and mucosal sequelae. However, despite the lack of evidence and consensus some medical teams often use a short regimen of SCS hoping to obtain a quicker improvement of the condition. However, the use of SCS at the acute phase is not codified and remains debated according to the existent literature. Current studies are mostly retrospective and based on small cohorts or case reports. A randomized, controlled trial would be therefore essential to properly evaluate the benefit of SCS in this pathology and provide strong support to clinicians in their decision making in severe EM during the acute phase.

This research will be a Phase III randomized, multicentric, double-blind, controlled trial with two parallel groups. The efficacy of prednisone, oral at 1 mg/kg/day for 3 days, tapered to 0.75 mg/kg/day for 3 days, 0.50 mg/kg/day for 3 days, 0.25 mg/kg/day for 3 days is compared to that of placebo, oral for 12 days or IV methylprednisolone if oral route is impossible because of the self-reported inability for the patient to swallow due to the impacts of the oral lesions, with dosage equivalence at 0.8 mg/kg/day for 3 days, tapered to 0.6 mg/kg/day for 3 days, 0.4 mg/kg/day for 3 days, 0.2 mg/kg/day for 3 days, then stopped, compared to that of placebo.

A stratification according to the food intake classification (0,1,2 vs 3) will be performed.

An interim analysis is planned after the inclusion of 50 patients. Results of the interim analysis will be presented to the DSMB. During the interim analysis, inclusions may continue.

02

Conditions studied

  • Erythema Multiforme

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Keywords

  • Erythema
  • Corticoids
  • Prednisone
  • Methylprednisolone
03

In context

Erythema

131 studies on the registry are indexed under Erythema; 17 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 96 is above the median of 50 across 114 interventional studies indexed under Erythema.

Browse Erythema studies →

Lead sponsor

Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris is the lead sponsor of 3,592 studies on the registry; 1,033 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
15 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

  • Age ≥ 15 years old and 30 kg ≤ Weight ≤ 150 kg
  • Clinical diagnosis of severe EM defined as:

    • Typical skin lesions if first flare of EM: raised target lesions with 2 or 3 concentric rings located on the extremities or disseminated. In case of recurrent EM, with proven anterior flare (known clinical diagnosis as-sociating typical skin lesions and MM involvement in a previous flare), typical skin lesions are not essential for inclusion, because EM may manifest as isolated mucosal involvement.
    • Two or more MMs affected (mouth, throat, eyes, ear, nose, genital and/or anal areas), or only the oral MM affected, if severely affected (score* 2 or 3 of Harman criteria22) with altered general conditions and significant impact on food intake (solid food impossible)
  • First flare of EM or acute recurrence of previously diagnosed EM
  • Disease flare that has lasted for up to 5 days (≤5 days)
  • Affiliated to a social security scheme
  • Able to provide written ; consent of both parents will be col-lected for minors

    • score: 1, minor activity (up to three erosions); 2, moderate activity (more than three but less than 10 erosions, or generalized desquamative gingivitis); 3, severe (more than 10 discrete erosions or extensive, confluent erosions, or generalized desquamative gingivi-tis with discrete erosions at other oral sites).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • EM without involvement of oral cavity compromising normal solid food
  • Patients unable to eat solid food outside of their current pathology (erythema multiforme)
  • Other diagnosis potentially involving MMs: Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), pemphigus, herpetic gingivostomatitis
  • Systemic prescribed for another disease on inclusion day (any dose)
  • Use of systemic Corticosteroids for > 5 days for any previous flare of EM (>10mg),
  • to systemic Corticosteroids:

    • to systemic Corticosteroids or to an ;
    • uncontrolled primary bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infection
    • psychotic states not yet controlled by treatment
  • Sepsis (shock, cyanosis, hypothermia, low blood pressure monitored succes-sively twice (systemic blood pressure \< 90 mmHg and diastolic blood pres-sure \< 60 mmHg)
  • Kidney or liver insufficiency (creatinine level ≥ 150 µmol/L; aspartate ami-notransferase or level > 3 times the )
  • Current cancer with the exception of non- skin carcinoma not re-quiring immediate medical treatment
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Person subject to safeguards of justice
  • Person deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision
  • Person subject to psychiatric care without their consent
  • Person admitted to a health or social establishment for purposes other than those of research
  • Person unable to express their consent
  • Person under legal protection (guardianship or curatorship)
  • Participation in another interventional study involving human participants or in the exclusion period at the end of a previous study involving human partici-pants, if applicable
  • On state medical aid
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(8)

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.

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.

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.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Excipients

The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.

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.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
96 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Systemic Corticosteroids

    Oral prednisone at 1 mg/kg/day for 3 days, tapered to 0.75 mg/kg/day for 3 days, 0.50 mg/kg/day for 3 days, 0.25 mg/kg/day for 3 days. If the oral route is not possible, IV methylprednisolone will be used at 0.8 mg/kg/day for 3 days, ta-pered to 0.6 mg/kg/day for 3 days, 0.4 mg/kg/day for 3 days, 0.2 mg/kg/day for 3 days (equivalent predni-sone dosage). In the event of a change of route administration (IV then Oral or Oral then IV), the posology of prednisone or methylprednisolone or placebo will correspond to the dosage equivalent to that prescribed at the time of the switch.

    Drug: Prednisone 20 Mg · Drug: Methylprednisolone 120 Mg

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Oral or IV placebo with the same decrease of dose: same number of tablets for prednisone placebo and same volume as methylprednisolone for its placebo

    Drug: Oral Placebo · Drug: IV Placebo

Interventions

  • Oral corticosteriods

    Also known as: Oral corticosteriods

  • DrugOral Placebo

    Oral placebo

    Also known as: placebo

  • IV corticosteriods

    Also known as: IV corticosteriods

  • DrugIV Placebo

    IV placebo

    Also known as: placebo

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Time to success

    It will be defined by controlled pain (Numeric Rating Scale (NR, range 0-10) score \<4 and sustained no need for any level III analgesics, during 48 hours), resumption of non-blended food intake and no need for rescue therapy (IV methylprednisolone at 1mg/kg/day with discontinuation of the current treatment in both arms).

    Time frame: Day0 to Month1

  2. Evaluation of Pain

    It will be evaluated daily by using the NR (0-10), 3 times a day during hospitalization and once a day (worst score of the day) after the hospitalization by phone until achievement of the primary end-point. To avoid confounding bias, management of pain will be standardized: Level I, II and III analgesics will be permitted during the treatment, but analgesics taken will be reported and the success is defined as no need for any level III analgesics.

    Time frame: Day0 to Month1

  3. Food intake

    It will be evaluated qualitatively daily by the investigator team (eg. investigator or collaborator, dietician, trained clinical study technician) by use of a standardized questionnaire. Food intake will be classified as the following categories: 0, impossible to eat; 1, liquid food possible; 2, mixed food possible; 3, chopped food possible; 4, solid food possible. For patient with categories 0, 1 or 2 at baseline, the success will be defined by the resump-tion of categories 3 or 4. For patients with category 3 at baseline, the success will be catego-ry 4. A subgroup analysis will be performed considering the two food intake classification strata.

    Time frame: Day0 to Month1

  4. Rescue therapy intake

    The rescue therapy will be standardized for all patients in failure of the initial strategy and will be: IV methylprednisolone at 1 mg/kg/day with discontinuation of the current treatment in both arms.

    Time frame: From Day 0 until discharge from hospital, assessed up to Day 15

Secondary outcomes

  1. Time to clear or almost clear healing of all sites

    "clear" is defined as no erosion or skin ulceration and absence of new lesions and "almost clear" is defined as "presence of 1, or 2 maximum, micro erosions / punctiform millimetric erosions, and absence of new lesions". Healing will be evaluated by the clinician. To avoid bias, the investigators will be trained before the start of the study allowing a standardization of the evaluation of healing

    Time frame: Day15 and Month1

  2. Time to fever resolution

    fever resolution defined as absence of fever (temperature ≤ 37,8°C) for at least 24 h

    Time frame: From Day 0 until discharge from hospital, assessed up to Day 15

  3. Length of hospital stay

    Time frame: From Day 0 until discharge from hospital, assessed up to Day 15

  4. Number of days of consumption of level III analgesics

    at least once in the day

    Time frame: From Day 0 until complete healing, assessed up to Month 1

  5. Evaluation of pain

    It will be assessed three times a day during hospitalization and once a day (worst score of the day) after the hospitalization until achievement of the primary endpoint.

    Time frame: From Day 0 until complete healing, assessed up to Month 1

  6. Chopped or solid food intake resumption

    Time frame: From Day 0 until complete healing, assessed up to Month

  7. Rate of patients in the two groups with need for a rescue therapy

    The rescue therapy will be standardized for all patients in failure of the initial strategy and will be: IV methylprednisolone at 1 mg/kg/day with discontinuation of the current treatment in both arms.

    Time frame: From Day 0 until discharge from hospital, assessed up to Day 15

  8. Rate of sequelae

    cutaneous and mucosal sequelae (ocular, ENT, esophageal, pulmonary and genital sequelae)), assessed clinically at month 3 (M3, if realized) and month 6 (M6)

    Time frame: Month3 and Month6

  9. Rate of adverse events during the treatment and follow-up

    Time frame: Day0 to Month6

  10. Evaluation of the quality of life

    It will be performed with the use of Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC), scale on 7 points

    Time frame: at the end of hospitalization, Day7, Day15 and Month1 and in case of relapse

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 20, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06266221
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Feb 20, 2024
Start date
May 1, 2024 (estimated)
Primary completion
Jun 1, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Nov 1, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Feb 20, 2024

Study contacts

Saskia Oro, PhD
Contact
saskia.oro@aphp.fr
01 49 81 25 01 ext. +33
Olivier Chosidow, PhD
Contact
olivier.chosidow@aphp.fr
Candy Estevez, M.Sc
study chair · APHP

Oversight

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

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Feb 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Studies of the drugs tested here: Prednisone · Methylprednisolone

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