The Effectiveness of Antibiotic Cement (ABC) Compared to Regular Cement in Reducing the Rate of Infection Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: The ABC Trial (ABC)

February 6, 2013 updated by: Dianne Bryant, University of Western Ontario, Canada

The Effectiveness of Antibiotic Cement Compared to Regular Cement in Reducing the Rate of Infection Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: The ABC Feasibility Study

Rationale: Infection following total knee replacement (TKA) is a devastating complication that usually requires prosthesis removal, hospitalization while the infection is eradicated, and a second surgery to implant a revision prosthesis. For primary TKA, prophylactic antibiotic-loaded cement (ABC) may not only reduce the rate of infection it may also reduce the rate of revisions due to implant loosening. Current controversy about the use of ABC exists around the world. Without a definitive trial, patients will be exposed to a treatment of uncertain efficacy that may cause antibiotic resistant bacterial strains and will certainly generate high costs to the healthcare system. Purpose: To determine, 1) the extent to which ABC compared to regular cement reduces the infection rate in patients over the first two years following TKA and, 2) the resource use implications associated with the use of ABC for TKA. Methods: This is a randomized clinical trial in which 8,800 patients with undergoing primary TKA are allocated to either Simplex™ P with Tobramycin or Simplex™ P bone cement. We will exclude patients with a prior joint infection, an allergy to tobramycin, and those with no fixed address. All patients will be administered IV antibiotics immediately prior to surgery. Patients and surgeons will be blind to group allocation. The primary outcome measure is infection. Follow-up visits will take place at 6 weeks and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperative. A blinded adjudicator will review all reported infections and determine whether the putative infection is a study event. Blinded radiologists will interpret the 2 year series of radiographs for each patient. We will compare the rates of infection and implant loosening between the two treatment groups using survival analyses. This study includes a full economic analysis.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Withdrawn

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Canada
    • Ontario
      • London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5W9
        • London Health Sciences Centre, University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • patients with osteoarthritis of the knee,
  • patients who are undergoing primary knee replacement,
  • patients who are able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients with a prior joint infection,
  • patients who have a known allergy to tobramycin, and
  • patients who have no fixed address.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Simplex™ P
All patients will receive preoperative antibiotics administered within the hour prior to surgery. All patients will undergo a cemented total knee replacement (both femoral and tibial components) with the type of implant left to the discretion of the surgeon. The patella may or may not be resurfaced depending on indication and preference. All patients will receive one of the two study cements (Simplex™ P with Tobramycin or Simplex™ P) in a blinded fashion; all cement vials will be similar in size and shape and the cement will be similar in odour, color and texture. No additional antibiotics will be added to the cement. Surgeons can use their preferred cement preparation technique (i.e. manual or vacuum mixing). The use of a suction drain will depend on surgical indication and preference.
Device: Simplex™ P
All patients will receive preoperative antibiotics administered within the hour prior to surgery.All patients will undergo a cemented total knee replacement (both femoral and tibial components) with the type of implant left to the discretion of the surgeon. The patella may or may not be resurfaced depending on indication and preference. All patients will receive one of the two study cements (Simplex™ P with Tobramycin or Simplex™ P) in a blinded fashion; all cement vials will be similar in size and shape and the cement will be similar in odour, color and texture. No additional antibiotics will be added to the cement. Surgeons can use their preferred cement preparation technique (i.e. manual or vacuum mixing). The use of a suction drain will depend on surgical indication and preference.
Experimental: Simplex™ P with Tobramycin
All patients will receive preoperative antibiotics administered within the hour prior to surgery.All patients will undergo a cemented total knee replacement (both femoral and tibial components) with the type of implant left to the discretion of the surgeon. The patella may or may not be resurfaced depending on indication and preference. All patients will receive one of the two study cements (Simplex™ P with Tobramycin or Simplex™ P) in a blinded fashion; all cement vials will be similar in size and shape and the cement will be similar in odour, color and texture. No additional antibiotics will be added to the cement. Surgeons can use their preferred cement preparation technique (i.e. manual or vacuum mixing). The use of a suction drain will depend on surgical indication and preference.
Device: Simplex™ P with Tobramycin
All patients will receive preoperative antibiotics administered within the hour prior to surgery.All patients will undergo a cemented total knee replacement (both femoral and tibial components) with the type of implant left to the discretion of the surgeon. The patella may or may not be resurfaced depending on indication and preference. All patients will receive one of the two study cements (Simplex™ P with Tobramycin or Simplex™ P) in a blinded fashion; all cement vials will be similar in size and shape and the cement will be similar in odour, color and texture. No additional antibiotics will be added to the cement. Surgeons can use their preferred cement preparation technique (i.e. manual or vacuum mixing). The use of a suction drain will depend on surgical indication and preference.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
relative risk of infection
Time Frame: 6 weeks and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperative
patients suspected of having an infected total knee replacement in the post-operative period will be evaluated clinically, and will undergo lab evaluation and an aspiration
6 weeks and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperative

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
radiographic evidence of prosthetic failure
Time Frame: 6 weeks and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperative
6 weeks and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperative
patient-reported disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL)
Time Frame: 6 weeks and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperative
6 weeks and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperative
cost-effectiveness
Time Frame: 6 weeks and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperative
6 weeks and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperative

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Western Ontario, Canada

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Dianne Bryant, PhD, Western University, Canada
  • Principal Investigator: Steven J MacDonald, MD, Western University, Canada

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 1, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 2, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 3, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 7, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 6, 2013

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • CIHR-2010-222495

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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