Efficacy of Methotrexate in Myasthenia Gravis
- Registration Number
- NCT00814138
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Kansas Medical Center
- Brief Summary
Myasthenia gravis is a rare neuromuscular disorder characterized by weakness and fatigability of ocular, bulbar, and extremity musculature. The specific aim of this study is to determine if oral methotrexate is an effective therapy for myasthenia gravis (MG) patients who are prednisone dependent. Patients will be randomized to receive either methotrexate or placebo and those who are entered onto this trial will have symptoms and signs of the disease while on prednisone therapy. The hypothesis is that adding methotrexate therapy in these patients will improve the MG manifestations so that the prednisone dose can be reduced and clinical measures of MG severity will improve.
Funding Source - FDA OOPD
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 50
- Patients must have MGFA MG grades 2, 3, or 4 generalized myasthenia gravis, according to the MGFA classification system
- Elevated acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR-Ab) titer.
- Patient's signs and symptoms should not be better explained by another disease process.
- Prednisone dose of at least 10 mg/day (or the equivalent in alternate days) and the subject must be on a stable dose of prednisone for 30 days prior to the screening visit.
- A history of chronic degenerative, psychiatric, or neurologic disorder other than MG that can produce weakness or fatigue.
- Other major chronic or debilitating illnesses within six months prior to study entry.
- Female patients who are premenopausal and are: (a) pregnant on the basis of a serum pregnancy test, (b) breast-feeding, or (c) not using an effective method of double barrier (1 hormonal plus 1 barrier method or 2 simultaneous barrier methods) birth control (birth control pills, male condom, female condom, intrauterine device, Norplant, tubal ligation, or other sterilization procedures).
- Altered levels of consciousness, dementia, or abnormal mental status.
- Evidence of thymoma on chest CT or MRI. Such a finding could require immediate thymectomy and would preclude entry into the study.
- Thymectomy in the previous three months.
- Patients who have been medicated with azathioprine, cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, IVIg, or other immunosuppressive drugs within the last 60 days.
- Chest X-ray with evidence of tumor, infection, or interstitial lung disease.
- Clinical history of chronic or recurrent infections.
- Daily use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
- History of renal or hepatic insufficiency or liver enzymes greater than the upper limit of normal.
- History of bone marrow hypoplasia, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, significant anemia, clinical or laboratory evidence of immunodeficiency syndromes.
- Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) <50% of predicted.
- MG Grade 1 (ocular only) or 5 (crisis, requiring ventilator).
- Prior use of methotrexate for any condition.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description 1 Methotrexate Methotrexate 2 Placebo Placebo
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Total Prednisone Dose Area Under the Curve 9 months The primary outcome measure was the nine-month prednisone area under the dose-time curve (AUDTC, months 4-12). The AUDTC was chosen because it accounted for changes in the prednisone dose that could occur frequently during a month.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Average Prednisone Daily Dose (mg/Day) Total length of time daily dose information was collected, i.e. 9 months. Participants were asked to fill out the amount of prednisone they took every day on a paper diary.
Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis (QMG) Score Change from Baseline to Month 12 The QMG is a 13 item ordinal scale which measures ocular, bulbar, extremity fatigue and strength, along with respiratory function. The scale is from 0 - 3 for each item, with 0 meaning normal and 3 is severe. Total score can range from 0 to 39.
MGQOL 12 Month Change Change from Baseline to Month 12 This test is a 15 item patient-reported scale indicating how myasthenia gravis affects the quality of life. Each item is graded as how true each statement has been over the past 7 days. The scale is 0=Not at all, 1= a little bit, 2= somewhat, 3= quite a bit and 4= very much. The numbers are then added to produce a total score. The MGQOL score would range from 0 (no MG symptoms that affected their quality of life) to a score of 60 (MG symptoms affected they quality of life very much).
MG-ADL 12 Month Change Change from Baseline to Month 12 The MG-ADL is an 8 item scale developed to assess myasthenia gravis symptoms. Score will range from 0 (normal - no MG symptoms) to 24 (severe MG symptoms)
Manual Muscle Testing 12 Month Change Change from Baseline to Month 12 This measurement was developed to measure the strength of muscle groups in the face, neck, arms and legs. Measurement is made by grading the amount of weakness. Participants are graded as having normal, mild (25%) weakness, moderate (50%) weakness or severe (75%) weakness and 4 = paralyzed/unable to do. Normal would receive a score of 0, mild would receive a score of 1, moderate would receive a score of 2, severe would receive a score of 3 and unable to perform would receive a score of 4. Range would be from 0 (no weakness) to 76 (complete paralysis).
MG Composite Change Over 12 Months Change from Baseline to Month 12 This scale is composed of components of the QMG, MG-ADL and the MMT. These components have been shown to be the most responsive in previous clinical trials. Each item in the QMG, MG-ADL and the MMT was weighed (Rasch analysis performed) and then assigned a score. Score would range from 0 (no effects from the myasthenia gravis) to a score of 50. A participant with a score of 50 wwould be in the hospital on a ventilator.
Trial Locations
- Locations (16)
University of California-Irvine
🇺🇸Irvine, California, United States
Penn State College of Medicine, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
🇺🇸Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
🇺🇸Iowa City, Iowa, United States
University of Florida, Health Science Center Jacksonville
🇺🇸Jacksonville, Florida, United States
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
🇺🇸Dallas, Texas, United States
Phoenix Neurological Associates
🇺🇸Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Forbes Norris MDA/ALS Research Center
🇺🇸San Francisco, California, United States
Massachusetts General Hospitals
🇺🇸Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Ohio State University
🇺🇸Columbus, Ohio, United States
The Nerve and Muscle Center of Texas
🇺🇸Houston, Texas, United States
University Health Sciences Center, San Antonio
🇺🇸San Antonio, Texas, United States
University of Virginia
🇺🇸Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
University of California, San Francisco
🇺🇸Fresno, California, United States
University of Toronto
🇨🇦Toronto, Ontario, Canada
University of North Carolina
🇺🇸Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
University of Kansas Medical Center
🇺🇸Kansas City, Kansas, United States