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Top-down Infliximab Study in Kids With Crohn's Disease

Phase 4
Completed
Conditions
Crohn's Disease
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT02517684
Lead Sponsor
Erasmus Medical Center
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a top-down treatment approach, prescribing infliximab (IFX) and azathioprine (AZA) at diagnose, yields better outcome in comparison to the usual step-up treatment approach, starting with prednison and AZA or exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) and AZA, in moderate-to-severe pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) patients.

Detailed Description

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine whether a top-down treatment approach, prescribing IFX and AZA at diagnose, yields better outcome in comparison to the usual step-up treatment approach, starting with prednison and AZA or EEN and AZA, in moderate-to-severe pediatric CD patients.

Sample size: We will include 100 (2 x 50) patients. With these numbers a difference of 60% and 85% (= 25) can be shown at a power of 80% (2-sided α 0.05).

Study design: an international open-label randomised controlled trial Study population: Children (age 3-17 yrs) with new-onset, untreated, CD with moderate-to-severe disease activity (weighted Pediatric CD Index \[wPCDAI\] \>40) Intervention: Patients will be randomised to either top-down or conventional step-up treatment.

Treatment arm 1: Top-down IFX treatment will consist of a total of 5 IFX infusions of 5 mg/kg (IFX induction at week 0, 2 and 6, followed by 2 maintenance infusions every 8 weeks) combined with oral AZA 2-3 mg/kg once daily. AZA therapy will continue after the last IFX infusion to maintain remission.

Treatment arm 2: Step-up treatment will consist of standard induction treatment by either oral prednisolone 1 mg/kg (maximum 40 mg) once daily for 4 weeks, followed by tapering in 6 weeks until stop, or EEN with polymeric feeding for 6-8 weeks after which normal foods are gradually reintroduced within 2-3 weeks. Either of these induction treatments will be combined with oral AZA 2-3 mg, once daily, as maintenance treatment.

Main study parameters/endpoints: Clinical remission at 52 weeks without need for additional CD related therapy or surgery. Secondary endpoints include clinical response, remission and mucosal healing at week 10 and 52, growth, quality of life and adverse events.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
100
Inclusion Criteria
  • Children (age 3-17 years, both male and female, weight >10kg) with new-onset,
  • untreated CD with moderate-to-severe disease activity assessed by a wPCDAI >40 will be eligible for inclusion after a diagnosis of CD was made based on the Porto criteria
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Exclusion Criteria

Patients with the following characteristics will be excluded:

  • immediate need for surgery,
  • symptomatic stenosis or stricture in the bowel due to scarring,
  • active perianal fistulas,
  • severe co-morbidity,
  • severe infection such as sepsis or opportunistic infections,
  • positive stool culture,
  • positive Clostridium difficile assay,
  • positive tuberculin test or a chest radiograph consistent with tuberculosis or malignancy,
  • those already started with CD specific therapy,
  • patients with a suspected or
  • definitive pregnancy
Read More

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Step-upExclusive enteral nutritionStep-up treatment will consist of standard induction treatment by either oral prednisolone 1 mg/kg (maximum 40 mg) once daily for 4 weeks, followed by tapering in 6 weeks until stop, or EEN with polymeric feeding for 6-8 weeks after which normal foods are gradually reintroduced within 2-3 weeks. Either of these induction treatments will be combined with oral AZA 2-3 mg, once daily, as maintenance treatment.
Step-upPrednisoloneStep-up treatment will consist of standard induction treatment by either oral prednisolone 1 mg/kg (maximum 40 mg) once daily for 4 weeks, followed by tapering in 6 weeks until stop, or EEN with polymeric feeding for 6-8 weeks after which normal foods are gradually reintroduced within 2-3 weeks. Either of these induction treatments will be combined with oral AZA 2-3 mg, once daily, as maintenance treatment.
Top-downInfliximabInfliximab and azathioprine; patients will receive 5 infliximab infusions of 5 mg/kg (IFX induction at week 0, 2 and 6, followed by 2 maintenance infusions every 8 weeks). IFX will be discontinued after 5 IFX infusions. Patients will also receive oral azathioprine 2-3 mg/kg, once daily as maintenance treatment.
Top-downAzathioprineInfliximab and azathioprine; patients will receive 5 infliximab infusions of 5 mg/kg (IFX induction at week 0, 2 and 6, followed by 2 maintenance infusions every 8 weeks). IFX will be discontinued after 5 IFX infusions. Patients will also receive oral azathioprine 2-3 mg/kg, once daily as maintenance treatment.
Step-upAzathioprineStep-up treatment will consist of standard induction treatment by either oral prednisolone 1 mg/kg (maximum 40 mg) once daily for 4 weeks, followed by tapering in 6 weeks until stop, or EEN with polymeric feeding for 6-8 weeks after which normal foods are gradually reintroduced within 2-3 weeks. Either of these induction treatments will be combined with oral AZA 2-3 mg, once daily, as maintenance treatment.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Clinical remission without need for additional CD related therapy or surgery52 weeks

Clinical remission is defined as a weighted Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index (wPCDAI) score of less than 12.5 points

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change bone age10 and 52 weeks
Change in BMI Z-scores10 and 52 weeks
Change in height Z-scores10 and 52 weeks
Therapy failure rates over time52 weeks

Therapy failure: primary non-response, loss of response according to wPCDAI and medication intolerance

Cumulative therapy use52 weeks, and 260 weeks
Long-term yearly number of flares260 weeks
Clinical remission rates10 and 52 weeks

Remission is wPCDAI\<12.5

Clinical response rates10 weeks

Response is defined by a decrease in wPCDAI score above 17.5 points compared to baseline

Long-term yearly remission rates without need for additional CD related therapy or surgery260 weeks

Clinical remission is defined as a weighted Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index (wPCDAI) score of less than 12.5 points

Long-term yearly clinical remission rates260 weeks

Clinical remission is defined as a weighted Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index (wPCDAI) score of less than 12.5 points

Mucosal healing10 and 52 weeks

Assessed by endoscopy (SES-CD) and/or fecal calprotectin (\<100microgram/gram)

Change in Tanner stage10 and 52 weeks
Adverse events rates52 weeks, and 260 weeks

Adverse events includes therapy side effects, disease complications (fistulas, abscesses, strictures, surgery, extra-intestinal manifestations)

Long-term yearly mucosal healing (calprotectin) rates260 weeks

fecal calprotectin \<100microgram/gram

Trial Locations

Locations (13)

Academic Medical Center

🇳🇱

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amphia Hospital

🇳🇱

Breda, Netherlands

Radboud University Medical Center

🇳🇱

Nijmegen, Netherlands

University Hospital Brussels

🇧🇪

Brussels, Belgium

Erasmus Medical Center

🇳🇱

Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Medisch Spectrum Twente

🇳🇱

Enschede, Netherlands

Helsinki University Central Hospital

🇫🇮

Helsinki, Finland

Maasstad Hospital

🇳🇱

Rotterdam, Netherlands

VU University Medical Center

🇳🇱

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Leiden University Medical Center

🇳🇱

Leiden, Netherlands

University Hospitals Leuven

🇧🇪

Leuven, Belgium

Isala hospital

🇳🇱

Zwolle, Netherlands

University Medical Center Utrecht

🇳🇱

Utrecht, Netherlands

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