AppendicitisCODANCT02800785
The Comparison of Outcomes of Antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) Trial
A study testing Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxacin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid; Metronidazole plus Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, or Levofloxacin and Appendectomy in people with Appendicitis, run by University of Washington at 25 sites in United States.
Trial summary
For the past 130 years, appendectomy has been the standard treatment for appendicitis. Recent studies from Europe have challenged the notion that surgery is the best option, showing that antibiotics alone can treat appendicitis without a need for appendectomy in as many as 3 out of 4 patients and without safety issues… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Appendicitis
- What is being tested?
- Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxacin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid; Metronidazole plus Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, or Levofloxacin and Appendectomy
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine, Injection or infusion, Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 1,552 participants
- Where
- 25 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- May 2016to 1 Sep 2021
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adult ≥18 years;
- Clinical diagnosis of acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AUA) established by clinical care team, supported by any of the following usual care radiological tests (computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US), and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)). AUA is defined by the usual signs, symptoms, and imaging finding of appendicitis without:
- Diffuse peritonitis on clinical exam (i.e., rigid abdomen / four quadrant peritonitis);
- Radiologic findings of :
- Free air; ii. Walled off fluid collection concerning for an abscess; iii. Significant amounts of intra-abdominal fluid throughout abdomen (i.e., more than trace fluid); or iv. Extent of inflammation or adjacent organ involvement on radiologic imaging such that appendectomy is relatively contraindicated.
- Ability to provide written or electronic informed consent in English or Spanish.
Who cannot join
- 1. Unable or unwilling to return or be contacted for clinical follow-up visits and/or research surveys;
- Currently incarcerated in a detention facility or in police custody (patients wearing a monitoring device can be enrolled) at baseline/screening;
- Evidence of severe sepsis or septic shock (e.g., new presumed sepsis-related organ dysfunction, elevated lactate, and/or fluid unresponsive hypotension);
- Conditions with altered immune response or at risk for bacterial seeding;
- Immunodeficiency (e.g., absolute neutrophil count <500/mm3, chronic immunosuppressive drugs, active chemotherapy or plans for chemotherapy in the following 30 days, or known acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) [cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count <200 or AIDS-defining illness within the last year] assessed by patient history);
- Uncompensated liver failure;
Show all 22Show fewer
- Taking medication to treat active inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn's, ulcerative colitis);
- Malignancy, not in remission (ongoing chemotherapy patients excluded);
- Pregnant or expectation of becoming pregnant in the 30 days following baseline/screening;
- Expected concurrent hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or treatments using indwelling venous catheters;
- Recent (within 90 days) placement of surgical implant (e.g., pacemaker, joint prosthesis, mechanical valve);
- Indwelling Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD);
- Patients with another infection (e.g., pneumonia, urinary tract infection) that requires treatment with another antibiotic at baseline/screening;
- Concurrent illness that would otherwise mandate hospitalization outside of appendicitis and associated symptoms at baseline/screening;
- Imaging findings of any of the following:
- Appendiceal soft-tissue mass;
- Imaging features of mucocele or tumor (e.g., appendix measuring ≥ 15mm in diameter and no other CT evidence of appendicitis);
- Concern for carcinomatosis on imaging; or
- Severe allergy or reaction (e.g., immediate urticaria or anaphylaxis) to all of the proposed antibiotics;
- Prior enrollment in the study or other investigational drug or vaccine while on study treatment;
- Abdominal/pelvic surgery in the past month; or
- More than seven hours have transpired since the patient received the first parenteral dose of antibiotics.
Trial locations and contacts
25 sites in 1 country.
25 sites in 1 country
United States25 sites
Michigan Medicine- University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, Colorado, 80045
Boston Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, 02118
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, 60612
The Ohio State University Medical Center
Columbus, Ohio, 43210
Henry Ford Health System
Detroit, Michigan, 48202
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett
Everett, Washington, 98201
Lyndon B Johnson- Harris Health
Houston, Texas, 77026
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, Texas, 77026
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Iowa City, Iowa, 52242
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi, 39216
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
New York University - Bellevue Hospital
New York, New York, 10016
New York University - Tisch Hospital
New York, New York, 10016
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, New York, 10032
Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, New York, 10065
Maine Medical Center
Portland, Maine, 04102
Harborview Medical Center
Seattle, Washington, 98104
Virginia Mason University Village Medical Center
Seattle, Washington, 98105
Swedish Medical Center- First Hill
Seattle, Washington, 98122
University of Washington Medical Center
Seattle, Washington, 98195
Olive View-UCLA Medical Center
Sylmar, California, 91342
Madigan Army Medical Center
Tacoma, Washington, 98431
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Torrance, California, 90509
About this study
For the past 130 years, appendectomy has been the standard treatment for appendicitis. Recent studies from Europe have challenged the notion that surgery is the best option, showing that antibiotics alone can treat appendicitis without a need for appendectomy in as many as 3 out of 4 patients and without safety issues for up to one year of follow up. Despite these results, it remains to be determined if the antibiotic strategy is as good as an appendectomy for the outcomes that most patients care about. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)-funded Comparison of Outcomes of Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial will be the first American, and largest-ever randomized trial of the issue and its results should help surgeons and patients make more informed healthcare decisions.
Read the detailed description
The Comparison of Outcomes of Antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial aims to test, if from a patient's perspective, the antibiotics strategy is "just as good as" surgery. The investigators believe that patients, clinicians, and the people who pay for healthcare (both patients and insurers) will find the antibiotics approach acceptable if 1) it results in high rates of treatment success, 2) does not increase complications, and 3) provides an equivalent or better patient experience. A large-scale non-inferiority trial is expected to result in a change in the management of one of the most common human illnesses. If non-inferiority is demonstrated (or superiority of the antibiotics approach identified), that finding will improve patient choice and should support a shift to the less invasive approach. If non-inferiority is not established, results may help to delineate the trade-offs between the two treatment approaches and inform decision-making.
The observation that patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AUA) can be cured with antibiotics-alone has a scientific rationale. Traditionally, appendicitis was thought to result from a blockage of the appendix and that, if left untreated, inevitably led to a perforation. Contrary to this physiologic model, Carr demonstrated that obstruction of the appendix is an unlikely primary cause in the majority of patients and that most are caused by an enteric infection. A recent randomized trial found an increased rate of appendectomy with early use of computed tomography (CT) imaging and diagnostic laparoscopy, but case reports of appendicitis remission documented by serial CT all suggest that leaving the appendix in place does not inexorably lead to clinical compromise. A common concern of clinicians when considering treating AUA with antibiotics is that not removing the appendix may lead to perforation and complications from complicated appendicitis. Evidence suggests, however, that perforated appendicitis is a pre-hospital event and that non-perforated appendicitis is a "different" disease. This theory is supported by a general lack of relation between a delay in surgery of up to 24-36 hours and perforation rates. Most recently, Fusobacterium sp., a genus of enteric Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria, rather than an obstructive stone, was found to be correlated with the presence of appendicitis and the degree of inflammation. What remains to be determined is whether certain bacterial colonies or features of individual immune response are most associated with progression of appendicitis without appendectomy and whether successful outcomes for people undergoing antibiotics can be predicted based on the patient's characteristics.
An additional rationale for this study is to address limitations of prior trials. To avoid misclassification problems of other trials, all patients will undergo standard radiographic imaging including CT, ultrasound (US), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with an appendicolith will be included in the trial but considered a unique subgroup and will be evaluated as part of a pre-specified analysis (potentially excluding them from future recruitment if an early analysis demonstrates futility related to the primary antibiotic approach not being successful). To reflect usual and emerging techniques in treatment, the study includes both types of appendectomy (open and laparoscopic) and a broad range of antibiotic strategies including the option for an "all outpatient" treatment schedule with once daily dosing of longer-acting agents. Patients in the antibiotics arm will be given a minimum of 24 hours of intravenous (IV) antibiotics (using any appropriate dosing schedule and based on the patient's ability to tolerate oral medication), followed by oral antibiotics for a total of 10 days of antibiotic treatment). Discharge from the hospital or emergency department (ED) or a change in treatment arms will be guided by clinical targets and reasons for change in treatment arms will be assessed. Patients will be followed for up to two years to assess for longer-term complications, eventual appendectomy (performed anywhere), quality of life (QoL), gastrointestinal symptoms, and decisional regret. To quantify selection bias and to promote generalizability, all patients approached for the study and those who refuse randomization will be characterized at baseline. A parallel cohort of patients who refuse randomization (250 who initiate the antibiotics strategy and 250 who select the appendectomy strategy) will be surveyed for two years.
- Conditions
- Appendicitis
- Being tested
- Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxacin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid; Metronidazole plus Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, or Levofloxacin, Appendectomy
- Medical subject headings
- Appendicitis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxacin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid; Metronidazole plus Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, or LevofloxacinDrug
Patients will be offered a treatment regimen of antibiotics based on guidelines published jointly by the Surgical Infection Society and the Infectious Disease Society of America. After IV antibiotics are administered for a period of at least 24 hours, a regimen of oral antibiotics will be continued for a total treatment length of 10 days. Preferred oral antibiotic regimens include Moxifloxacin alone, and combinations such as Metronidazole or Clindamycin, for anaerobic bacteria coverage, plus Ciprofloxacin or Levofloxacin, or an oral Cephalosporin for aerobic Gram-negative bacteria coverage.
AppendectomyProcedure or surgery
Appendectomy will be performed by an open or laparoscopic approach, depending on patient and surgeon preference.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics Therapy Arm | Active comparator | Patients in the antibiotics (abx) arm will receive a total of 10 days of abx, with a minimum of 24 hours using an IV abx formulation (administered in q8, q12, or q24 hour regimens with or without concurrent oral abx) followed by oral abx for the remainder of the 10 days. Patients will be offered a treatment regimen of abx based on guidelines published jointly by the Surgical Infection Society and the Infectious Disease Society of America. Any of the IV abx options (Single antibiotic-Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxicin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid or Dual antibiotics-Metronidazole plus one of the following-Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin) will be considered acceptable. After IV abx, a regimen of oral abx will be continued for a total treatment length of 10 days. Receives: Drug: Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxacin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid; Metronidazole plus Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, or Levofloxacin |
| Appendectomy Arm | Active comparator | Patients in the appendectomy arm will have an appendectomy performed by an open or laparoscopic approach, depending on patient and surgeon preference. Prior to their operation, patients in this arm will receive one dose of antibiotics per currently accepted standards when appendicitis diagnosis is confirmed. Patients may also receive preoperative antibiotics per hospital standards for surgical infection prevention bundle. Receives: Procedure: Appendectomy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Patient-reported Quality of Life as Measured by EuroQol (EQ-5D)
The primary evaluation of patient-reported quality of life, as measured by the EuroQuol-5D at four-weeks, will be conducted using an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, where patients' data are analyzed according to the patients' randomized treatment assignment. EQ5D assesses health status in terms of five dimensions of health. The maximum score of 1 indicates the best health state, the minimum score is 0 (as score as bad as being dead).
Measured: Four-weeks after randomization
Secondary outcomes (7)
Total Number of Patients Who Had Resolution of Appendicitis Symptoms at 30 Days
Total Number of Patients who had resolution of appendicitis symptoms at 30 Days. This was measured as absence of fever and abdominal pain and tenderness.
Measured: at 30 days
Rate of Participants With Perforated Appendicitis
Rates of patients who had perforated appendicitis will be calculated for each arm among those received an appendectomy.
Measured: 90 days post enrollment
Number of Participants With at Least One Complications From Treatment
Comparison of the number of participants with at least one surgical complication and antibiotic complications.
Measured: 90 days
Rates of Participants With Appendiceal Cancer
Rates of appendiceal cancer among participants will be calculated among the antibiotics and appendectomy arms.
Measured: Through study completion, up to 2 years
Days in Hospital After Index Treatment Within 90 Days
Mean number of days in the hospital per participant calculated at 90 days post randomization. (Number of days/Number of Participants in Therapy Arm who responded to the 90 day survey question)
Measured: 90 days post randomization
Number of Clinic Visits or Emergency Room Visits
Total number of participants with any visit to emergency department or urgent care clinic after index treatment within 90 days
Measured: 90 days post randomization
Eventual Appendectomy Incidence Proportion
incidence proportion of appendectomy within 90 days post randomization among those randomized to antibiotics
Measured: 90 days post randomization
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Jun 2016 (estimated)
- Study startMay 2016
- Primary completion5 Mar 2020
- Study completion1 Sep 2021
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (7)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for AppendicitisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of WashingtonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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 N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 1,552 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Washington
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, David Flum, University of Washington
- Investigators
- David R Flum, MD, MPH, Principal investigator, University of WashingtonDavid A Talan, MD, Principal investigator, University of California, Los Angeles
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02800785
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00001155
- Acronym
- CODA
- Status last verified
- May 2023
- First submitted
- 8 Apr 2016
- Last updated
- 6 May 2023
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified datasets, analytic datasets, and codebook will be shared back to study sponsor, PCORI.
Publications
CODA Collaborative; Flum DR, Davidson GH, Monsell SE, Shapiro NI, Odom SR, Sanchez SE, Drake FT, Fischkoff K, Johnson J, Patton JH, Evans H, Cuschieri J, Sabbatini AK, Faine BA, Skeete DA, Liang MK, Sohn V, McGrane K, Kutcher ME, Chung B, Carter DW, Ayoung-Chee P, Chiang W, Rushing A, Steinberg S, Foster CS, Schaetzel SM, Price TP, Mandell KA, Ferrigno L, Salzberg M, DeUgarte DA, Kaji AH, Moran GJ, Saltzman D, Alam HB, Park PK, Kao LS, Thompson CM, Self WH, Yu JT, Wiebusch A, Winchell RJ, Clark S, Krishnadasan A, Fannon E, Lavallee DC, Comstock BA, Bizzell B, Heagerty PJ, Kessler LG, Talan DA. A Randomized Trial Comparing Antibiotics with Appendectomy for Appendicitis. N Engl J Med. 2020 Nov 12;383(20):1907-1919. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2014320. Epub 2020 Oct 5.
PubMed 33017106Serrano E, Voldal EC, Machado-Aranda D, DeUgarte DA, Kao L, Drake T, Winchell R, Cuschieri J, Krishnadasan A, Talan DA, Siparsky N, Ayoung-Chee P, Self WH, McGonagill P, Mandell KA, Liang MK, Dodwad SJ, Thompson CM, Padilla RM, Fleischman R, Price TP, Jones A, Bernardi K, Garcia L, Evans HL, Sanchez SE, Odom S, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Lawrence SO, Monsell SE, Fannon EEC, Kessler LG, Flum DR, Davidson GH; Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative. Trial Participation and Outcomes Among English-Speaking and Spanish-Speaking Patients With Appendicitis Randomized to Antibiotics: A Secondary Analysis of the CODA Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Surg. 2023 Sep 1;158(9):901-908. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2023.2277.
PubMed 37379001Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative; Zhang IY, Voldal EC, Davidson GH, Liao JM, Thompson CM, Self WH, Kao LS, Cherry-Bukowiec J, Raghavendran K, Kaji AH, DeUgarte DA, Gonzalez E, Mandell KA, Ohe K, Siparsky N, Price TP, Evans DC, Victory J, Chiang W, Jones A, Kutcher ME, Ciomperlik H, Liang MK, Evans HL, Faine BA, Neufeld M, Sanchez SE, Krishnadasan A, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Lawrence SO, Monsell SE, Fannon EEC, Kessler LG, Talan DA, Flum DR. Association of Patient Belief About Success of Antibiotics for Appendicitis and Outcomes: A Secondary Analysis of the CODA Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Surg. 2022 Dec 1;157(12):1080-1087. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2022.4765.
PubMed 36197656Thompson CM, Voldal EC, Davidson GH, Sanchez SE, Ayoung-Chee P, Victory J, Guiden M, Bizzell B, Glaser J, Hults C, Price TP, Siparsky N, Ohe K, Mandell KA, DeUgarte DA, Kaji AH, Uribe L, Kao LS, Mueck KM, Farjah F, Self WH, Clark S, Drake FT, Fischkoff K, Minko E, Cuschieri J, Faine B, Skeete DA, Dhanani N, Liang MK, Krishnadasan A, Talan DA, Fannon E, Kessler LG, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Monsell SE, Lawrence SO, Flum DR, Lavallee DC; Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative. Perception of Treatment Success and Impact on Function with Antibiotics or Appendectomy for Appendicitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial with an Observational Cohort. Ann Surg. 2023 Jun 1;277(6):886-893. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005458. Epub 2022 Jul 11.
PubMed 35815898Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative; Talan DA, Moran GJ, Krishnadasan A, Monsell SE, Faine BA, Uribe L, Kaji AH, DeUgarte DA, Self WH, Shapiro NI, Cuschieri J, Glaser J, Park PK, Price TP, Siparsky N, Sanchez SE, Machado-Aranda DA, Victory J, Ayoung-Chee P, Chiang W, Corsa J, Evans HL, Ferrigno L, Garcia L, Hatch Q, Horton MD, Johnson J, Jones A, Kao LS, Kelly A, Kim D, Kutcher ME, Liang MK, Maghami N, McGrane K, Minko E, Mohr C, Neufeld M, Patton JH, Rog C, Rushing A, Sabbatini AK, Salzberg M, Thompson CM, Tichter A, Wisler J, Bizzell B, Fannon E, Lawrence SO, Voldal EC, Lavallee DC, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Davidson GH, Flum DR, Kessler LG. Analysis of Outcomes Associated With Outpatient Management of Nonoperatively Treated Patients With Appendicitis. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Jul 1;5(7):e2220039. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.20039.
PubMed 35796152Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative; Davidson GH, Monsell SE, Evans H, Voldal EC, Fannon E, Lawrence SO, Krishnadasan A, Talan DA, Bizzell B, Heagerty PJ, Comstock BA, Lavallee DC, Villegas C, Winchell R, Thompson CM, Self WH, Kao LS, Dodwad SJ, Sabbatini AK, Droullard D, Machado-Aranda D, Gibbons MM, Kaji AH, DeUgarte DA, Ferrigno L, Salzberg M, Mandell KA, Siparsky N, Price TP, Raman A, Corsa J, Wisler J, Ayoung-Chee P, Victory J, Jones A, Kutcher M, McGrane K, Holihan J, Liang MK, Cuschieri J, Johnson J, Fischkoff K, Drake FT, Sanchez SE, Odom SR, Kessler LG, Flum DR. Self-selection vs Randomized Assignment of Treatment for Appendicitis. JAMA Surg. 2022 Jul 1;157(7):598-608. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2022.1554.
PubMed 35612859Davidson GH, Flum DR, Talan DA, Kessler LG, Lavallee DC, Bizzell BJ, Farjah F, Stewart SD, Krishnadasan A, Carney EE, Wolff EM, Comstock BA, Monsell SE, Heagerty PJ, Ehlers AP, DeUgarte DA, Kaji AH, Evans HL, Yu JT, Mandell KA, Doten IC, Clive KS, McGrane KM, Tudor BC, Foster CS, Saltzman DJ, Thirlby RC, Lange EO, Sabbatini AK, Moran GJ. Comparison of Outcomes of antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial: a protocol for the pragmatic randomised study of appendicitis treatment. BMJ Open. 2017 Nov 15;7(11):e016117. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016117.
PubMed 29146633
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 May 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Comparison of Outcomes of Antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02800785
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CODA / STUDY00001155
- Conditions
- Appendicitis
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 1,552 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of WashingtonUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
- Study start
- May 2016
- Primary completion
- 5 Mar 2020 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 15 Jun 2016 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 18 Apr 2023
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
For the past 130 years, appendectomy has been the standard treatment for appendicitis. Recent studies from Europe have challenged the notion that surgery is the best option, showing that antibiotics alone can treat appendicitis without a need for appendectomy in as many as 3 out of 4 patients and without safety issues for up to one year of follow up. Despite these results, it remains to be determined if the antibiotic strategy is as good as an appendectomy for the outcomes that most patients care about. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)-funded Comparison of Outcomes of Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial will be the first American, and largest-ever randomized trial of the issue and its results should help surgeons and patients make more informed healthcare decisions.
Detailed description
The Comparison of Outcomes of Antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial aims to test, if from a patient's perspective, the antibiotics strategy is "just as good as" surgery. The investigators believe that patients, clinicians, and the people who pay for healthcare (both patients and insurers) will find the antibiotics approach acceptable if 1) it results in high rates of treatment success, 2) does not increase complications, and 3) provides an equivalent or better patient experience. A large-scale non-inferiority trial is expected to result in a change in the management of one of the most common human illnesses. If non-inferiority is demonstrated (or superiority of the antibiotics approach identified), that finding will improve patient choice and should support a shift to the less invasive approach. If non-inferiority is not established, results may help to delineate the trade-offs between the two treatment approaches and inform decision-making.
The observation that patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AUA) can be cured with antibiotics-alone has a scientific rationale. Traditionally, appendicitis was thought to result from a blockage of the appendix and that, if left untreated, inevitably led to a perforation. Contrary to this physiologic model, Carr demonstrated that obstruction of the appendix is an unlikely primary cause in the majority of patients and that most are caused by an enteric infection. A recent randomized trial found an increased rate of appendectomy with early use of computed tomography (CT) imaging and diagnostic laparoscopy, but case reports of appendicitis remission documented by serial CT all suggest that leaving the appendix in place does not inexorably lead to clinical compromise. A common concern of clinicians when considering treating AUA with antibiotics is that not removing the appendix may lead to perforation and complications from complicated appendicitis. Evidence suggests, however, that perforated appendicitis is a pre-hospital event and that non-perforated appendicitis is a "different" disease. This theory is supported by a general lack of relation between a delay in surgery of up to 24-36 hours and perforation rates. Most recently, Fusobacterium sp., a genus of enteric Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria, rather than an obstructive stone, was found to be correlated with the presence of appendicitis and the degree of inflammation. What remains to be determined is whether certain bacterial colonies or features of individual immune response are most associated with progression of appendicitis without appendectomy and whether successful outcomes for people undergoing antibiotics can be predicted based on the patient's characteristics.
An additional rationale for this study is to address limitations of prior trials. To avoid misclassification problems of other trials, all patients will undergo standard radiographic imaging including CT, ultrasound (US), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with an appendicolith will be included in the trial but considered a unique subgroup and will be evaluated as part of a pre-specified analysis (potentially excluding them from future recruitment if an early analysis demonstrates futility related to the primary antibiotic approach not being successful). To reflect usual and emerging techniques in treatment, the study includes both types of appendectomy (open and laparoscopic) and a broad range of antibiotic strategies including the option for an "all outpatient" treatment schedule with once daily dosing of longer-acting agents. Patients in the antibiotics arm will be given a minimum of 24 hours of intravenous (IV) antibiotics (using any appropriate dosing schedule and based on the patient's ability to tolerate oral medication), followed by oral antibiotics for a total of 10 days of antibiotic treatment). Discharge from the hospital or emergency department (ED) or a change in treatment arms will be guided by clinical targets and reasons for change in treatment arms will be assessed. Patients will be followed for up to two years to assess for longer-term complications, eventual appendectomy (performed anywhere), quality of life (QoL), gastrointestinal symptoms, and decisional regret. To quantify selection bias and to promote generalizability, all patients approached for the study and those who refuse randomization will be characterized at baseline. A parallel cohort of patients who refuse randomization (250 who initiate the antibiotics strategy and 250 who select the appendectomy strategy) will be surveyed for two years.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics Therapy Arm | Active comparator | Drug: Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxacin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid; Metronidazole plus Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, or LevofloxacinPatients in the antibiotics (abx) arm will receive a total of 10 days of abx, with a minimum of 24 hours using an IV abx formulation (administered in q8, q12, or q24 hour regimens with or without concurrent oral abx) followed by oral abx for the remainder of the 10 days. Patients will be offered a treatment regimen of abx based on guidelines published jointly by the Surgical Infection Society and the Infectious Disease Society of America. Any of the IV abx options (Single antibiotic-Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxicin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid or Dual antibiotics-Metronidazole plus one of the following-Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin) will be considered acceptable. After IV abx, a regimen of oral abx will be continued for a total treatment length of 10 days. |
| Appendectomy Arm | Active comparator | Procedure: AppendectomyPatients in the appendectomy arm will have an appendectomy performed by an open or laparoscopic approach, depending on patient and surgeon preference. Prior to their operation, patients in this arm will receive one dose of antibiotics per currently accepted standards when appendicitis diagnosis is confirmed. Patients may also receive preoperative antibiotics per hospital standards for surgical infection prevention bundle. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Adult ≥18 years;
- Clinical diagnosis of acute uncomplicated appendicitis (AUA) established by clinical care team, supported by any of the following usual care radiological tests (computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US), and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)). AUA is defined by the usual signs, symptoms, and imaging finding of appendicitis without:
- Ability to provide written or electronic informed consent in English or Spanish.
Key exclusion criteria (22 listed)
- 1. Unable or unwilling to return or be contacted for clinical follow-up visits and/or research surveys;
- Currently incarcerated in a detention facility or in police custody (patients wearing a monitoring device can be enrolled) at baseline/screening;
- Evidence of severe sepsis or septic shock (e.g., new presumed sepsis-related organ dysfunction, elevated lactate, and/or fluid unresponsive hypotension);
- Conditions with altered immune response or at risk for bacterial seeding;
- Immunodeficiency (e.g., absolute neutrophil count <500/mm3, chronic immunosuppressive drugs, active chemotherapy or plans for chemotherapy in the following 30 days, or known acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) [cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count <200 or AIDS-defining illness within the last year] assessed by patient history);
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxacin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid; Metronidazole plus Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, or LevofloxacinPatients will be offered a treatment regimen of antibiotics based on guidelines published jointly by the Surgical Infection Society and the Infectious Disease Society of America. After IV antibiotics are administered for a period of at least 24 hours, a regimen of oral antibiotics will be continued for a total treatment length of 10 days. Preferred oral antibiotic regimens include Moxifloxacin alone, and combinations such as Metronidazole or Clindamycin, for anaerobic bacteria coverage, plus Ciprofloxacin or Levofloxacin, or an oral Cephalosporin for aerobic Gram-negative bacteria coverage. | Drug | Antibiotics Therapy Arm |
| AppendectomyAppendectomy will be performed by an open or laparoscopic approach, depending on patient and surgeon preference. | Procedure or surgery | Appendectomy Arm |
Primary outcome
Patient-reported Quality of Life as Measured by EuroQol (EQ-5D)
Time frame: Four-weeks after randomization
The primary evaluation of patient-reported quality of life, as measured by the EuroQuol-5D at four-weeks, will be conducted using an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, where patients' data are analyzed according to the patients' randomized treatment assignment. EQ5D assesses health status in terms of five dimensions of health. The maximum score of 1 indicates the best health state, the minimum score is 0 (as score as bad as being dead).
7 secondary outcomes
Total Number of Patients Who Had Resolution of Appendicitis Symptoms at 30 Days
Time frame: at 30 days
Rate of Participants With Perforated Appendicitis
Time frame: 90 days post enrollment
Number of Participants With at Least One Complications From Treatment
Time frame: 90 days
Rates of Participants With Appendiceal Cancer
Time frame: Through study completion, up to 2 years
Days in Hospital After Index Treatment Within 90 Days
Time frame: 90 days post randomization
Number of Clinic Visits or Emergency Room Visits
Time frame: 90 days post randomization
Eventual Appendectomy Incidence Proportion
Time frame: 90 days post randomization
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 May 2023.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Background: PubMed 33017106CODA Collaborative; Flum DR, Davidson GH, Monsell SE, Shapiro NI, Odom SR, Sanchez SE, Drake FT, Fischkoff K, Johnson J, Patton JH, Evans H, Cuschieri J, Sabbatini AK, Faine BA, Skeete DA, Liang MK, Sohn V, McGrane K, Kutcher ME, Chung B, Carter DW, Ayoung-Chee P, Chiang W, Rushing A, Steinberg S, Foster CS, Schaetzel SM, Price TP, Mandell KA, Ferrigno L, Salzberg M, DeUgarte DA, Kaji AH, Moran GJ, Saltzman D, Alam HB, Park PK, Kao LS, Thompson CM, Self WH, Yu JT, Wiebusch A, Winchell RJ, Clark S, Krishnadasan A, Fannon E, Lavallee DC, Comstock BA, Bizzell B, Heagerty PJ, Kessler LG, Talan DA. A Randomized Trial Comparing Antibiotics with Appendectomy for Appendicitis. N Engl J Med. 2020 Nov 12;383(20):1907-1919. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2014320. Epub 2020 Oct 5.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 37379001Serrano E, Voldal EC, Machado-Aranda D, DeUgarte DA, Kao L, Drake T, Winchell R, Cuschieri J, Krishnadasan A, Talan DA, Siparsky N, Ayoung-Chee P, Self WH, McGonagill P, Mandell KA, Liang MK, Dodwad SJ, Thompson CM, Padilla RM, Fleischman R, Price TP, Jones A, Bernardi K, Garcia L, Evans HL, Sanchez SE, Odom S, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Lawrence SO, Monsell SE, Fannon EEC, Kessler LG, Flum DR, Davidson GH; Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative. Trial Participation and Outcomes Among English-Speaking and Spanish-Speaking Patients With Appendicitis Randomized to Antibiotics: A Secondary Analysis of the CODA Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Surg. 2023 Sep 1;158(9):901-908. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2023.2277.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 36197656Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative; Zhang IY, Voldal EC, Davidson GH, Liao JM, Thompson CM, Self WH, Kao LS, Cherry-Bukowiec J, Raghavendran K, Kaji AH, DeUgarte DA, Gonzalez E, Mandell KA, Ohe K, Siparsky N, Price TP, Evans DC, Victory J, Chiang W, Jones A, Kutcher ME, Ciomperlik H, Liang MK, Evans HL, Faine BA, Neufeld M, Sanchez SE, Krishnadasan A, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Lawrence SO, Monsell SE, Fannon EEC, Kessler LG, Talan DA, Flum DR. Association of Patient Belief About Success of Antibiotics for Appendicitis and Outcomes: A Secondary Analysis of the CODA Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Surg. 2022 Dec 1;157(12):1080-1087. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2022.4765.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 35815898Thompson CM, Voldal EC, Davidson GH, Sanchez SE, Ayoung-Chee P, Victory J, Guiden M, Bizzell B, Glaser J, Hults C, Price TP, Siparsky N, Ohe K, Mandell KA, DeUgarte DA, Kaji AH, Uribe L, Kao LS, Mueck KM, Farjah F, Self WH, Clark S, Drake FT, Fischkoff K, Minko E, Cuschieri J, Faine B, Skeete DA, Dhanani N, Liang MK, Krishnadasan A, Talan DA, Fannon E, Kessler LG, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Monsell SE, Lawrence SO, Flum DR, Lavallee DC; Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative. Perception of Treatment Success and Impact on Function with Antibiotics or Appendectomy for Appendicitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial with an Observational Cohort. Ann Surg. 2023 Jun 1;277(6):886-893. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005458. Epub 2022 Jul 11.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 35796152Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative; Talan DA, Moran GJ, Krishnadasan A, Monsell SE, Faine BA, Uribe L, Kaji AH, DeUgarte DA, Self WH, Shapiro NI, Cuschieri J, Glaser J, Park PK, Price TP, Siparsky N, Sanchez SE, Machado-Aranda DA, Victory J, Ayoung-Chee P, Chiang W, Corsa J, Evans HL, Ferrigno L, Garcia L, Hatch Q, Horton MD, Johnson J, Jones A, Kao LS, Kelly A, Kim D, Kutcher ME, Liang MK, Maghami N, McGrane K, Minko E, Mohr C, Neufeld M, Patton JH, Rog C, Rushing A, Sabbatini AK, Salzberg M, Thompson CM, Tichter A, Wisler J, Bizzell B, Fannon E, Lawrence SO, Voldal EC, Lavallee DC, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Davidson GH, Flum DR, Kessler LG. Analysis of Outcomes Associated With Outpatient Management of Nonoperatively Treated Patients With Appendicitis. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Jul 1;5(7):e2220039. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.20039.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 35612859Writing Group for the CODA Collaborative; Davidson GH, Monsell SE, Evans H, Voldal EC, Fannon E, Lawrence SO, Krishnadasan A, Talan DA, Bizzell B, Heagerty PJ, Comstock BA, Lavallee DC, Villegas C, Winchell R, Thompson CM, Self WH, Kao LS, Dodwad SJ, Sabbatini AK, Droullard D, Machado-Aranda D, Gibbons MM, Kaji AH, DeUgarte DA, Ferrigno L, Salzberg M, Mandell KA, Siparsky N, Price TP, Raman A, Corsa J, Wisler J, Ayoung-Chee P, Victory J, Jones A, Kutcher M, McGrane K, Holihan J, Liang MK, Cuschieri J, Johnson J, Fischkoff K, Drake FT, Sanchez SE, Odom SR, Kessler LG, Flum DR. Self-selection vs Randomized Assignment of Treatment for Appendicitis. JAMA Surg. 2022 Jul 1;157(7):598-608. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2022.1554.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 29146633Davidson GH, Flum DR, Talan DA, Kessler LG, Lavallee DC, Bizzell BJ, Farjah F, Stewart SD, Krishnadasan A, Carney EE, Wolff EM, Comstock BA, Monsell SE, Heagerty PJ, Ehlers AP, DeUgarte DA, Kaji AH, Evans HL, Yu JT, Mandell KA, Doten IC, Clive KS, McGrane KM, Tudor BC, Foster CS, Saltzman DJ, Thirlby RC, Lange EO, Sabbatini AK, Moran GJ. Comparison of Outcomes of antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial: a protocol for the pragmatic randomised study of appendicitis treatment. BMJ Open. 2017 Nov 15;7(11):e016117. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016117.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified datasets, analytic datasets, and codebook will be shared back to study sponsor, PCORI.
Related trials for Appendicitis
RecruitingObservational study
Prospective Comparison of Pro-Adrenomedullin, C-Reactive Protein, and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio for Diagnosing Acute Appendicitis
Acute Appendicitis
Active, not recruiting
PAINED: Project Addressing INequities in the Emergency Department
Pain, Appendicitis
Not yet recruiting
Comparative Study Between Laparoscopic and Open Appendectomy of Complicated Appendicitis
Appendicitis, Perforated Appendicitis
Recruiting
Feasibility and Safety of a Pediatric ERAS Protocol for Laparoscopic Appendectomy
Appendectomy, Laparoscopic, Acute Appendicitis
RecruitingPhase 3
Laparoscopic Antibiotic Lavage to Prevent Intra-abdominal Abscess Formation in Complicated Appendicitis
Complicated Appendicitis, Intra-Abdominal Abscess
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
David R Flum, MD, MPH principal investigator
University of Washington
David A Talan, MD principal investigator
University of California, Los Angeles
25 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Cefoxitin, Ertapenem, Moxifloxacin, Tigecycline, Ticarcillin-Clavulanic Acid; Metronidazole plus Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Ciprofloxacin, or Levofloxacin and Appendectomy in people with Appendicitis, run by University of Washington at 25 sites in United States.
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 6 inclusion and 22 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 6 May 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 25 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
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.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 18 Apr 2023). 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?
Patient-reported Quality of Life as Measured by EuroQol (EQ-5D) (time frame: Four-weeks after randomization). 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 NCT02800785, which also lists 7 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 6 May 2023.