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SclerodermaPhase 3NCT00501995

High Dose Cyclophosphamide for Treatment of Scleroderma

A Phase 3 study testing IV Cyclophosphamide in people with Scleroderma, run by Johns Hopkins University.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma) varies greatly in clinical manifestations, mode of presentation, and course. The natural history of this chronic autoimmune disease ranges from benign to fatal. Patients are classified into limited and diffuse scleroderma defined by the degree of skin involvement. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 70 years
Conditions the study is for
Scleroderma
What is being tested?
IV Cyclophosphamide
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
6 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Feb 2001to May 2010
Phase
Phase 3
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 70 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Meet established criteria for a diagnosis of diffuse cutaneous scleroderma and have evidence of moderately severe organ damage and clinical evidence of active disease.
  • Patients with diffuse scleroderma who have evidence of active fibrosing alveolitis manifested by either a greater than 10% decline in the forced vital capacity or the diffusing capacity from the defined normal values or from baseline measurements.
  • Patients with severe deforming localized scleroderma (generalized morphea, liner morphea, keloid or bullous scleroderma) that threatens their capacity to function normally in society.

Who cannot join

  • Age less than 18 years and over 70 years
  • Any risk of pregnancy
  • Cardiac ejection fraction of < 45%
  • Serum creatinine > 3.0
  • Patients who are pre-terminal or moribund
  • Bilirubin > 2.0, transaminases > 2x normal
  • Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), (5/30/01) < 50% predicted

About this study

Official title: High Dose Cyclophosphamide for Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma)

Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma) varies greatly in clinical manifestations, mode of presentation, and course. The natural history of this chronic autoimmune disease ranges from benign to fatal. Patients are classified into limited and diffuse scleroderma defined by the degree of skin involvement. Patients with limited disease (e.g. the C.R.E.S.T. syndrome) generally have mild disease and normal survival. However, patients with diffuse cutaneous scleroderma often have severe multi-system disease that is not only devastating emotionally and physically but is associated with a 60-70% five year survival and a 40-50% 10 year survival. No therapies have proven effective in the treatment of scleroderma. Strategy to treat scleroderma have included attempts to prevent fibrosis with drugs that interfere with collagen metabolism, attempts to modify the disease process by immunosuppression and attempts to alter the disease by vasoactive drugs. High dose of corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive drugs (e.g. chlorambucil, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine) used at conventional doses have not proven curative, but have shown some benefit for inflammatory features of the disease (e.g. arthritis, myositis, fibrosing alveolitis).

Both allogeneic and autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) have shown to modify and in some instances reverse a variety of animal models of autoimmune disease. This has prompted many investigators to propose the use of peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) for the treatment of autoimmune disease including scleroderma. Unfortunately, this approach risks infusing untreated autoreactive lymphocyte clones after the immunoablative preparative regimen. We have previously demonstrated that high-dose cyclophosphamide without BMT can induce durable and complete remissions in another autoimmune disease, severe aplastic anemia. Recent data with high dose cyclophosphamide show that it can induce complete remissions in other autoimmune hematologic disorders. The objective of this study is to determine whether high dose cyclophosphamide can induce a durable remission in scleroderma patients with life-threatening disease, and to determine toxicity of high dose cyclophosphamide in high risk scleroderma patients.

Read the detailed description

Study design

The study was an open-label, single-site trial of a single exposure to high-dose cyclophosphamide without stem cell rescue. Each patient was followed up by the same doctor to eliminate interobserver skin score variation. Baseline measurements included comprehensive laboratory studies that included complete blood count with differential, comprehensive metabolic panel, urine analysis with culture, quantitative immunoglobulins, antibodies to hepatitis B core and surface antigens and antibodies to hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency, herpes, varicella, Epstein-Barr viruses; rapid plasma reagin test, chest x-ray or high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan of the lungs, pulmonary function testing, electrocardiogram, and echo or multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan.

The primary clinical efficacy end point was the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS).24 A 25% sustained improvement in the mRSS at any point in the follow-up was considered clinically important and a successful outcome.25 Secondary outcome measures included the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and physician global assessment (PGA) determined by a visual analogue scale on a scale from 0 to 100. Values for the percentage predicted lung volumes were referenced from NHANES/Hanikson et al26 and for diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) from Knudson et al.27 The disease duration was defined as the time from the first non-Raynaud's symptom related to scleroderma to study entry.

Treatment protocol

Cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg) was administered intravenously over 1 hour daily for four consecutive days (200 mg/kg total) through a Hickman catheter. The dose of cyclophosphamide was based on the ideal body weight as determined by the Metropolitan Life tables.28 29 If the patient's actual weight was less than the ideal body weight, the actual body weight was used to calculate the cyclophosphamide dose. Intravenous mesna (10 mg/kg) was given 30 minutes before cyclophosphamide and then 3, 6 and 8 hours after cyclophosphamide was administered for prophylaxis against haemorrhagic cystitis. Intravenous ondansetron (32 mg) was administered 1 hour before each dose of cyclophosphamide. Six days after the last dose of cyclophosphamide, all patients received granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (5 µg/kg/day) until the neutrophil count was 1×109/l for two consecutive days. Prophylactic antibiotic support, consisting of fluconazole (400 mg/day), norfloxacin (400 mg/day), and valaciclovir (500 mg twice a day, if antibodies to herpes simplex were present), was given beginning the day after the last dose of cyclophosphamide and continuing until the neutrophil count exceeded 0.5×109/l. Dapsone (100 mg three times a week for 6 months) or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (80/400 mg three times a week for 6 months) was administered for Pneumocystis carinii prophylaxis. Packed red blood cell (leucocyte-poor) transfusions were administered to maintain a haematocrit level >25%. Platelet transfusions were given for bleeding or to maintain a platelet count >10×109/l, or both. All blood products were irradiated (>2000 rad) to prevent graft versus host disease.

Conditions
Scleroderma
Being tested
IV Cyclophosphamide
Keywords
High Dose Cyclophosphamide, Systemic Sclerosis, Scleroderma, immunoablation
Medical subject headings
Scleroderma, Diffuse, Scleroderma, Systemic

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • IV CyclophosphamideDrug

    Also called Cytoxan, Neosar

    Cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg) intravenously daily for 4 consecutive days (total 200 mg/kg) followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (5 µg/kg/day)

Study groups in NCT00501995
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
IV Cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg)ExperimentalThis is an open-labeled single arm study of Cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg) administered intravenously over 1 hour daily for four consecutive days (200 mg/kg total) through a Hickman catheter .
Receives: Drug: IV Cyclophosphamide

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Improvement in the Modified Rodnan Skin Score.

    The modified Rodnan skin score is the accepted clinical measure of scleroderma skin activity. The investigator will assess the thickening of the skin using the modified Rodnan skin score through simple palpation on 17 different body areas: fingers, hands, forearms, arms, feet, legs, and thighs (bilaterally) and face, chest, and abdomen (singly). Skin thickness is assessed on a scale of 0-3; 0 representing normal skin and 3 being severe thickening. The sum of the individual scores can range from 0-51; 0 (normal) to 51 (severe thickening in all 17 areas) A 25% improvement in the modified Rodnan Skin score will be considered significant at any time point in the study. Modified Rodnan Skin Score was evaluated at months 0,1,3,6,12 and 24 months.

    Measured: 0 to 24 months

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Change in the HAQ-DI, PGA, FVC and DLCO

    The Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) a 48 item questionnaire assessing ability to perform activities of daily living, use of assistive devises and a 6 item analog scale of pain severity from 0 cm (no pain) to 14.3 cm (very severe pain). The lower the HAQ-DI score the less the disability. The physician global assessment (PGA) which is a visual analogue scale from 0 to 100 on which the physician rates the patient's disease severity based on their observations. A score of 0 is no disease activity and 100 is the worst possible disease activity. The Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) measure of lung capacity and Diffusing Capacity (DLCO) measures of oxygen exchange in the alveoli ( pulmonary function testing). The predicted lung volumes were referenced from NHANES/Hanikson et al and for DLCO predicts were from Knudson. Pre and post study percent predicted values were compared.

    Measured: 0-24 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted17 Jul 2007 (estimated)
  2. Study startFeb 2001
  3. Primary completionJul 2008
  4. Study completionMay 2010

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
6 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00501995
Sponsor's protocol ID
00-11-17-02
Status last verified
May 2017
First submitted
13 Jul 2007
Last updated
14 Jun 2017
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Tehlirian CV, Hummers LK, White B, Brodsky RA, Wigley FM. High-dose cyclophosphamide without stem cell rescue in scleroderma. Ann Rheum Dis. 2008 Jun;67(6):775-81. doi: 10.1136/ard.2007.077446. Epub 2007 Nov 1.

    PubMed 17974598

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing IV Cyclophosphamide in people with Scleroderma, run by Johns Hopkins University.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Jun 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 2 Jul 2014). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Improvement in the Modified Rodnan Skin Score. (time frame: 0 to 24 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00501995, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Jun 2017.

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