MedPath

Comparing the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Combination Antivirals (Amantadine, Ribavirin, Oseltamivir) Versus Oseltamivir for the Treatment of Influenza in Adults at Risk for Complications

Phase 2
Completed
Conditions
Influenza
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT01227967
Lead Sponsor
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Brief Summary

Seasonal influenza is responsible for many hospitalizations and deaths each year, despite effective antiviral treatments. Some individuals have medical conditions such as heart or lung diseases that make them particularly at risk of severe influenza infections that may result in hospitalization or death. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is used most often to treat flu, but there are still many hospitalizations, complications, and deaths even with treatment. This study evaluated the use of combination antivirals (amantadine, oseltamivir, and ribavirin) compared to oseltamivir alone in the treatment of influenza in an at-risk population.

Detailed Description

Seasonal influenza is responsible for approximately 226,000 excess hospitalizations annually and despite effective antivirals causes significant morbidity and mortality (estimated 24,000-50,000 deaths each year in the United States alone). The influenza virus that emerged in 2009 (A/California/07/2009 H1N1) caused fewer deaths (12,000 flu-related deaths in the U.S) but in contrast to seasonal flu, nearly 90 percent of the deaths with the 2009 H1N1 occurred among people younger than 65 years of age. The CDC has defined an at-risk population that accounts for the majority of hospitalization and morbidity associated with influenza. This study evaluated the use of combination antivirals as compared to oseltamivir alone in the treatment of influenza in an at-risk population.

Subjects who met the CDC definition for being at-risk and that present with an influenza-like illness were screened for the study. Those subjects with a confirmatory test for influenza (rapid antigen or PCR) were randomized in a 1:1 manner to receive a blinded study treatment consisting of either the combination of amantadine, oseltamivir, and ribavirin or oseltamivir alone for 5 days. Clinical, virologic, and laboratory assessments on Days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 were used for both safety and efficacy analysis.

Design:

* Participants were screened with a physical examination and medical history, along with blood tests and throat swabs to confirm influenza infection.

* Eligible participants were randomly assigned to take either oseltamivir alone (the current standard treatment for influenza) or to take oseltamivir, amantadine, and ribavirin. Participants had additional blood samples and throat swabs taken at the start of the study, and were shown how to complete a study diary at home.

* Participants received a study medication kit containing the medication to take at home twice a day for 5 days.

* Participants returned, with the medication kit, to the clinic on days 1 (the first day after the start of the study), 3, 7, 14, and 28. The first visit took 2 to 3 hours, but each subsequent visit took approximately 1 to 2 hours. Additional blood samples and throat swabs were taken at these visits.

Pilot study:

Due to the lack of reliable data concerning the AUC virologic endpoint, an "external" pilot study was conducted in the first 47 patients randomized to identify a primary endpoint and method of analysis, and to possibly modify the sample size. To ensure no effect on the type I error rate, data from these 47 patients were excluded from the primary and secondary efficacy analyses but were used in other analyses of secondary objectives.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
881
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Combination TherapyAmantadine, Ribavirin, OseltamivirAmantadine, Ribavirin, Oseltamivir
Oseltamivir monotherapyOseltamivirOseltamivir
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Percentage of Participants With Virus Detectable by Quantitative PCR (qPCR) in Nasopharyngeal (NP) SwabsAt Day 3

The central laboratory performed a qualitative PCR test on the NP sample from Day 0 in order to confirm influenza infection and to determine the influenza type and subtype. For participants with a positive influenza test result at Day 0 from this qualitative PCR testing, the laboratory then performed qPCR testing of subsequent samples to quantify viral shedding.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Time to Alleviation of Influenza Clinical Symptoms.From treatment initiation to Day 28

The assessed symptoms were cough, nasal obstruction (stuffy nose), sore throat, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, feverishness, rhinorrhea, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Duration of clinical symptoms is defined as the time from Day 0 to the first of two successive measurements at which all clinical symptoms are grade 0 (absent) or 1 (mild). A measurement is considered to be the 8AM or 8PM assessment during Days 0 to 7 (so two measurements are obtained per day) and then the daily assessment thereafter. Time will then be calculated in half-days through to Day 7. If a subject's first two assessments on (baseline assessment and first subsequent diary card assessment) satisfy this criterion, then the duration will be set to zero. For participants who did not have two successive records meeting this criterion, follow-up was censored for analysis purposes at the time of the last but one diary card record with symptoms evaluated.

Number of Participants by Virus Detection StatusAt Day 0, 3 and 7.

Number of participants who had undetectable values (less than the limit of detection \[LOD\]), who had values between the LOD and the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), and who had values ≥LLOQ

qPCR Viral SheddingAt Day 0, 3 and 7

Median, 25% and 75% percentile of the value of viral shedding (Results \<LOD were imputed as the LOD value, and Results \>= LOD, \<LLOQ were imputed as the LLOQ value.)

Percentage of Participants With Clinical Failure at Day 5From treatment initiation to Day 28

Clinical failure at Day 5 is defined as the need for continued (non-study) antiviral use after Day 5.

Number of Participants Shedding VirusAt day 3 and 7.

Number of participants with undetectable viral load at both Day 3 and Day 7; detectable at Day 3 and undetectable at Day 7; detectable at Day 7 (irrespective of whether or not detectable at Day 3).

Time to Feeling as Good as Before the Onset of the Influenza IllnessFrom treatment initiation to Day 28

Time to feeling as good as before influenza is defined as time to the first of two successive 'yes' responses to the question of 'feeling as good as you did before you had the flu'.For participants who did not have two successive records meeting this criterion, follow-up was censored for analysis purposes at the time of the last but one diary card record with question answered.

Percentage of Participants Who Develop Bronchitis, Pneumonia, or Other Complications of Influenza After Day 0.From treatment initiation to Day 28

Participants were assessed for the signs/symptoms suggestive of one of the following complications: Sinusitis, Otitis Media ,Bronchitis / Bronchiolitis, Pneumonia and antibiotic use for reason other than above.

Time to Absence of FeverFrom treatment initiation to Day 28

Fever was considered present based on the diary cards if a subject reported a maximal temperature ≥38.0°C (for the period since the diary card was previously completed) or reported having taken an antipyretic drug (also for the period since the diary card was previously completed). Otherwise, fever was considered not present during the period since the diary card was previously completed, except that the evaluation was considered missing if either the temperature or the antipyretic drug use entry was not completed on the diary card. The duration of fever was defined as the time from Day 0 to the first of two successive assessments (through to Day 7) or to the first assessment (Day 8 onwards) at which no fever was present according to this definition.For participants who did not have two successive records meeting this criterion, follow-up was censored for analysis purposes at the time of the last but one diary card record with fever evaluated.

Time to Resolution of All Symptoms AND FeverFrom treatment initiation to Day 28

The assessed symptoms were cough, nasal obstruction (stuffy nose), sore throat, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, feverishness, rhinorrhea, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Fever was considered present based on the diary cards if a subject reported a maximal temperature ≥38.0°C (for the period since the diary card was previously completed) or reported having taken an antipyretic drug (also for the period since the diary card was previously completed). Time to resolution of all clinical symptoms and fever is defined as the time from Day 0 to the first of two successive measurements at which all clinical symptoms are grade 0 (absent) or 1(mild) and no fever \>=38.0 C or antipyretic drug is reported. For participants who did not have two successive records meeting this criterion, follow-up was censored for analysis purposes at the time of the last but one diary card record with symptoms and fever evaluated.

Time to Return to Pre-influenza FunctionFrom treatment initiation to Day 28

Time to return to pre-influenza function is defined as the time from Day 0 to the first of two successive 'Yes' answers to the global assessment question 'Are you functioning as well as you were before you had the flu'.For participants who did not have two successive records meeting this criterion, follow-up was censored for analysis purposes at the time of the last but one diary card record with question answered.

Percentage of Participants Who Required New or Increased Use of Supplemental OxygenFrom treatment initiation to Day 28

Percentage of participants who required new or increased use of supplemental oxygen

28-day MortalityFrom treatment initiation to Day 28

Number of deaths

Time to Return of Physical Function to Pre-illness LeveFrom treatment initiation to Day 28

Time to return of physical function to pre-illness level was defined as the time from Day 0 to the first of two successive measurements at which the physical function score equals or is better than the pre-illness score (obtained by recall at enrollment).For subjects who did not have two successive records meeting this criterion, follow-up was censored for analysis purposes at the time of the last but one diary card record with physical function evaluated.

Percentage of Participants Who Required Hospitalization.From treatment initiation to Day 28

The percentage of participants hospitalized by 28 days was estimated from the Kaplan-Meier curves.

Trial Locations

Locations (91)

Research Integrity, LLC

🇺🇸

Owensboro, Kentucky, United States

Boston Medical Center

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Hospital Rawson

🇦🇷

Cordoba, Argentina

West Florissant Internists

🇺🇸

Bridgeton, Missouri, United States

Advanced Rx Clinical Research

🇺🇸

Garden Grove, California, United States

WCCT Global LLC

🇺🇸

Costa Mesa, California, United States

Northwestern University

🇺🇸

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Torrance Clinical Research Institute, Inc.

🇺🇸

Lomita, California, United States

University of Iowa

🇺🇸

Iowa City, Iowa, United States

Los Angeles BioMedical Research Institute

🇺🇸

Torrance, California, United States

Sneeze, Wheeze & Itch Associates, LLC

🇺🇸

Normal, Illinois, United States

Clinical Research Solutions - Dr. Panuto

🇺🇸

Middleburg Heights, Ohio, United States

University of Texas Tech Amarillo

🇺🇸

Amarillo, Texas, United States

3rd Coast Research Associates

🇺🇸

Corpus Christi, Texas, United States

University of California at San Diego

🇺🇸

San Diego, California, United States

University of Miami

🇺🇸

Miami, Florida, United States

Pioneer Research Solutions, Inc.

🇺🇸

Houston, Texas, United States

Endeavor Clinical Trials

🇺🇸

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Clinical Research Solutions - Dr. Rowe

🇺🇸

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Simon Williamson Clinic

🇺🇸

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Thomas Lenzmeier Family Practice

🇺🇸

Glendale, Arizona, United States

Westlake Medical Research (CA)

🇺🇸

Thousand Oaks, California, United States

Centennial - IMMUNOe International Research

🇺🇸

Centennial, Colorado, United States

Massachusetts General Hospital

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

🇺🇸

New York, New York, United States

Duke University

🇺🇸

Durham, North Carolina, United States

University of Pennsylvania

🇺🇸

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Montgomery Medical

🇺🇸

Smithfield, Pennsylvania, United States

Clinical Research Solutions - Dr. Bart

🇺🇸

Columbia, Tennessee, United States

Holston Medical Group

🇺🇸

Kingsport, Tennessee, United States

Family Medicine Associates of Texas

🇺🇸

Carrollton, Texas, United States

Texas Tech HSC

🇺🇸

Lubbock, Texas, United States

Centex Studies Inc. - Dr. Garcia

🇺🇸

Pharr, Texas, United States

Village Health Partners

🇺🇸

Plano, Texas, United States

Bandera Family Healthcare Research

🇺🇸

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Instituto Medico Platense

🇦🇷

La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciónes Clínicas (CEMIC)

🇦🇷

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires

🇦🇷

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Holdsworth House Med Practice

🇦🇺

Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia

Taylor Square Private Clinic

🇦🇺

Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia

Westmead Hospital

🇦🇺

Westmead, New South Wales, Australia

Royal Brisbane

🇦🇺

Herston, Queensland, Australia

The Alfred Hospital

🇦🇺

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Royal Melbourne Hospital

🇦🇺

Parkville, Victoria, Australia

Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición (INCMN) Salvador Zubirán

🇲🇽

México City, Mexico

Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias (INER)

🇲🇽

Tlalpan, Mexico

HIV-NAT, The Thai Red Cross AIDS

🇹🇭

Patumwan, Bangkok, Thailand

Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University

🇹🇭

Bangkoknoi, Bangkok, Thailand

Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University

🇹🇭

Muang, Khon Kaen, Thailand

Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute

🇹🇭

Muang, Nonthaburi, Thailand

University of Southern California

🇺🇸

Los Angeles, California, United States

Central Phoenix Medical Center

🇺🇸

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Best Quality Research Inc.

🇺🇸

Hialeah, Florida, United States

East Valley Family Physicians

🇺🇸

Chandler, Arizona, United States

San Marcus Research Clinic, Inc.

🇺🇸

Miami, Florida, United States

Medical Consulting Center

🇺🇸

Miami, Florida, United States

DMI Research, Inc.

🇺🇸

Pinellas Park, Florida, United States

Brigham and Women's Hospital

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Prairie Fields Family Medicine

🇺🇸

Fremont, Nebraska, United States

Suncoast Research Group, LLC

🇺🇸

Miami, Florida, United States

Centex Studies Inc. - Dr. Seep

🇺🇸

Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States

Horizon Research Group, of Opelousas, LLC

🇺🇸

Eunice, Louisiana, United States

Bronson Methodist Hospital

🇺🇸

Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States

Henry Ford Health Systems

🇺🇸

Detroit, Michigan, United States

UMass Medical School

🇺🇸

Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Clinical Research Advantage/ Skyline Medical Center

🇺🇸

Elkhorn, Nebraska, United States

Clinical Research Solutions - Dr. Slandzicki

🇺🇸

Franklin, Tennessee, United States

Fundación del Centro de Estudios Infectológicos (FUNCEI)

🇦🇷

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hospital General y de Alta Especialidad "Dr. Manuel GEA Gonzalez"

🇲🇽

Tlalpan, Mexico

Clinical Research Solutions - Dr. Dar

🇺🇸

Smyrna, Tennessee, United States

Health Concepts

🇺🇸

Rapid City, South Dakota, United States

New Jersey Medical School

🇺🇸

Newark, New Jersey, United States

Clinical Research Solutions - Dr. Hoppers

🇺🇸

Jackson, Tennessee, United States

Hospital Houssay

🇦🇷

Vicente Lopez, Provincia De Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hospital General de Agudos J. M. Ramos Mejía

🇦🇷

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Instituto Centralizado de Asistencia e Investigación Clínica Integral (CAICI)

🇦🇷

Santa Fe, Argentina

Northside Clinic

🇦🇺

Fitzroy North, Victoria, Australia

Empire Clinical Research

🇺🇸

Upland, California, United States

Ridge Family Practice

🇺🇸

Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States

University of Pittsburgh

🇺🇸

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

University of Texas at Houston

🇺🇸

Houston, Texas, United States

University of Rochester Medical Center

🇺🇸

Rochester, New York, United States

University of Virginia

🇺🇸

Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

Centex Studies Inc. - Dr. Pouzar

🇺🇸

Houston, Texas, United States

University of Colorado

🇺🇸

Aurora, Colorado, United States

University of Florida

🇺🇸

Gainesville, Florida, United States

NIH Clinical Center

🇺🇸

Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Southwest Family Physicians

🇺🇸

Omaha, Nebraska, United States

James J. Peters, VA Medical Center

🇺🇸

Bronx, New York, United States

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

🇺🇸

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States

Virginia Commonwealth University

🇺🇸

Richmond, Virginia, United States

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath