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CatatoniaPhase 1CINSNCT02462109

Catatonia in Nodding Syndrome and Lorazepam Treatment

A Phase 1 study testing Lorazepam in people with Catatonia and Nodding Syndrome, run by Makerere 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

Nodding Syndrome is an enigmatic neuropsychiatric syndrome affecting children and adolescents mostly in Eastern Africa. The symptoms of Nodding Syndrome and catatonia seem to overlap. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 10 to 21 years
Conditions the study is for
Catatonia, Nodding Syndrome
What is being tested?
Lorazepam
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
16 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Mar 2013to Mar 2013
Phase
Phase 1
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

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 10 to 21 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Children and adolescents with Nodding Syndrome as defined by the consensus definition agreed upon in the international Nodding Syndrome research meeting held in Kampala, Uganda July 2012.
  • Presence of two or more catatonic items on the Kampala Catatonia Panel.
  • Written informed consent from caregiver.

Who cannot join

  • Children and adolescents with Nodding Syndrome who had a history of having used a benzodiazepine drug in the past 48 hours prior to intervention.
  • Children and adolescents with Nodding Syndrome who had a concurrent acute illness (e.g febrile illness, pneumonia) at time of assessment.

About this study

Official title: Catatonia in Ugandan Children With Nodding Syndrome and Effects of Treatment With Lorazepam: A Pilot Study

Nodding Syndrome is an enigmatic neuropsychiatric syndrome affecting children and adolescents mostly in Eastern Africa. The symptoms of Nodding Syndrome and catatonia seem to overlap. The researchers' objectives in this study were to investigate the presence and types of catatonic symptoms in children with Nodding Syndrome and observe their response to one or two doses of lorazepam, the first-line treatment for catatonia.

Read the detailed description

In this pilot study, the investigators examined a convenient sample of children and adolescents with Nodding Syndrome (NS) for catatonic symptoms using standardized criteria. The investigators also tested whether oral lorazepam (LZP) administered to those who qualified to have pediatric catatonia would alleviate symptoms. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of catatonia in NS patients in Northern Uganda and an exploratory study of using one or two doses of lorazepam as a catatonia test.

All the children with confirmed NS that had 2 or more of symptoms of catatonia were recruited to undergo the catatonia test using oral Lorazepam EG® (n.v. Eurogenerics s.a. Brussels, Belgium) using the 1 mg formulation tablets. It was proposed to perform a catatonia test using Lorazepam (LZP) as first choice medication, as this is the medication that has been used most commonly in pediatric catatonia.

The amount of drug given was based on the weight of the child. The lower dose (0.5 mg) was used as starting dose for patients with <30 kg body weight, while the higher dose (1 mg) as the starting dose for patients with >30 kg body weight.

A positive response to a catatonia test consisted of a reduction in catatonic symptoms, 30 or 60 minutes later, by at least 50% .Positive responses were documented by video footage before and after administration of LZP.

If no response to the initial dose of LZP, was observed after one hour, a second administration of the same medication at double the dose was given. Catatonia was again assessed at 30 and 60 minutes thereafter. If no response was observed, the test was considered negative.

Being tested
Lorazepam
Medical subject headings
Catatonia, Nodding Syndrome

What participants receive

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

  • LorazepamDrug

    Also called Ativan

    Lorazepam was given based on the weight of the child with Catatonia. The lower dose (0.5 mg) was used as starting dose for patients with <30 kg body weight, while the higher dose (1 mg) as the starting dose for patients with >30 kg body weight.

Study groups in NCT02462109
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
LorazepamExperimentalChildren with confirmed Nodding syndrome that had 2 or more of the symptoms on the 10-item Kampala Catatonia Panel (KCP) scale were recruited to undergo the catatonia test using oral Lorazepam EG® (n.v. Eurogenerics s.a. Brussels, Belgium) using the 1 mg formulation tablets. The amount of Lorazepam (LZP) drug given orally was based on the weight of the child. The lower dose (0.5 mg) was used as starting dose for patients with <30 kg body weight, while the higher dose (1 mg) as the starting dose for patients with >30 kg body weight. A positive response to a catatonia test consisted of a reduction in catatonic symptoms, 60 minutes later, by at least 50% assessed by the KCP (using all 10 items). If no response to the initial dose of LZP, was observed after one hour, a second administration of the same medication at double the dose was given. Catatonia was again assessed at 60 minutes thereafter. If no response was observed, the test was considered negative.
Receives: Drug: Lorazepam

What is being measured

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

  1. A positive catatonia test (>50% reduction in catatonia symptoms and signs) on the responses of the children and adolescents with Nodding Syndrome and catatonia to test doses of oral Lorazepam.

    Measured: Measured at 60 minutes after first dose

Timeline

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

  1. First posted3 Jun 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study startMar 2013
  3. Primary completionMar 2013
  4. Study completionMar 2013

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 1
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
16 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02462109
Sponsor's protocol ID
HS 1330
Acronym
CINS
Status last verified
Jun 2015
First submitted
28 May 2015
Last updated
3 Jun 2015
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Smith SL, Grelotti DJ, Fils-Aime R, Uwimana E, Ndikubwimana JS, Therosme T, Severe J, Dushimiyimana D, Uwamariya C, Bienvenu R, Alcindor Y, Eustache E, Raviola GJ, Fricchione GL. Catatonia in resource-limited settings: a case series and treatment protocol. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2015 Jan-Feb;37(1):89-93. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2014.10.009. Epub 2014 Oct 30.

    PubMed 25467078

  • Tibrewal P, Narayanaswamy J, Zutshi A, Srinivasaraju R, Math SB. Response rate of lorazepam in catatonia: a developing country's perspective. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Dec 1;34(8):1520-2. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.08.017. Epub 2010 Sep 8.

    PubMed 20804808

  • Kakooza-Mwesige A, Wachtel LE, Dhossche DM. Catatonia in autism: implications across the life span. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2008 Sep;17(6):327-35. doi: 10.1007/s00787-008-0676-x. Epub 2008 Apr 21.

    PubMed 18427869

  • Sejvar JJ, Kakooza AM, Foltz JL, Makumbi I, Atai-Omoruto AD, Malimbo M, Ndyomugyenyi R, Alexander LN, Abang B, Downing RG, Ehrenberg A, Guilliams K, Helmers S, Melstrom P, Olara D, Perlman S, Ratto J, Trevathan E, Winkler AS, Dowell SF, Lwamafa D. Clinical, neurological, and electrophysiological features of nodding syndrome in Kitgum, Uganda: an observational case series. Lancet Neurol. 2013 Feb;12(2):166-74. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(12)70321-6. Epub 2013 Jan 8.

    PubMed 23305742

  • Dhossche DM. Decalogue of catatonia in autism spectrum disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2014 Nov 6;5:157. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00157. eCollection 2014. No abstract available.

    PubMed 25414675

  • Kakooza-Mwesige A, Dhossche DM, Idro R, Akena D, Nalugya J, Opar BT. Catatonia in Ugandan children with nodding syndrome and effects of treatment with lorazepam: a pilot study. BMC Res Notes. 2015 Dec 28;8:825. doi: 10.1186/s13104-015-1805-5.

    PubMed 26710961

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1 study testing Lorazepam in people with Catatonia and Nodding Syndrome, run by Makerere 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 2 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 3 Jun 2015. 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 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

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

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

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?

A positive catatonia test (>50% reduction in catatonia symptoms and signs) on the responses of the children and adolescents with Nodding Syndrome and catatonia to test doses of oral Lorazepam. (time frame: Measured at 60 minutes after first dose). 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 NCT02462109, which also lists 6 linked publications.

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 3 Jun 2015.

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