ALFApump System Versus Standard of Care in Ascites Treatment

June 12, 2017 updated by: Sequana Medical N.V.

ALFApump® System Versus Large Volume Paracentesis in the Treatment of Refractory Ascites. A Multicentre Randomised Controlled Study.

This is a multicentre, open, randomised, and controlled trial conducted in sixty (60) patients diagnosed with refractory or recurrent ascites. Patients will be randomised (enrolled) to either treatment arm A- implanted with the ALFApump System or treatment arm B-standard of care with evacuation large volume paracentesis. The main aims of the study are to determine the paracentesis free survival, defined as the time to the first large volume therapeutic paracentesis > 5 litres. The secondary aims are to assess non-inferiority of cirrhosis-related complications in the group of patients randomized to the ALFApump system group, as well as nutritional effects, resource utilisation, patient quality of life and survival non-inferiority.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
58

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

  • Austria
      • Vienna, Austria
        • Vienna General Hospital and Medical School, AKH
  • France
      • Clichy, Paris, France
        • Hôpital Beaujon
      • Toulouse, France
        • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse
  • Italy
      • Padova, Italy
        • Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova
  • Spain
      • Barcelona, Spain
        • Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron
  • United Kingdom
      • Bristol, United Kingdom
        • Bristol Royal Infirmary
      • London, United Kingdom, NW3 2QG
        • Royal Free 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

18 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Males and non-pregnant females (determined by serum pregnancy test) ≥ 18 years of age. Women of childbearing age must be prepared to use at least 1 effective (≤ 1% failure rate) method of contraception during the course of the study
  2. Cirrhosis of the liver defined by histological and/or clinical, and/or radiological criteria
  3. Presenting refractory or recurrent ascites and requiring periodic large volume paracentesis (large volume defined as > 5 L to accord with teh clinical guidance of EASL, European Association for the Study of the Liver, which recommends withdrawal of 5 L should precipitate administration of albumin).
  4. Capable of giving written informed consent, willing to comply with study procedures and ability to operate the device

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Gastrointestinal haemorrhage over the last 7 days
  2. Renal failure defined as serum creatinine higher than or equal to 2 mg/dl
  3. Severe coagulopathy defined as prothrombin time greater than 40% more than upper limit of Normal (as determined locally).
  4. Platelet count of less than 40000 /uL unless platelet therapy is given at the time of surgery
  5. Clinical Evidence of recurring bacterial peritonitis, defined as 2 or more episodes over the last 6 months or a single episode within the last 2 weeks.
  6. Clinical evidence of recurring urinary infections, defined as 2 or more episodes over the last 6 months or a single episode within the last 2 weeks.
  7. Clinical evidence of loculated ascites.
  8. Advanced hepatocarcinoma, defined as one which exceeds Milan criteria.
  9. Obstructive uropathy, residual urinary volume exceeding 100 ml, or any bladder anomaly which might contraindicate implantation of the device.
  10. Concurrently implanted with any other Active Implantable Medical Device, including, but not limited to, cardiac pacemaker or cardioverter defibrillator.
  11. Pregnant females or females anticipating pregnancy during study period
  12. Patients currently enrolled in another interventional clinical study
  13. Other concomitant disease or condition likely to significantly decrease life expectancy or present anaesthetic risk (e.g., moderate to severe congestive heart failure)
  14. Known presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
  15. Immuno-modulatory treatment (including azothioprine, methotrexate, anti-TNF therapies) used within last 4 months
  16. Known or suspected hepatic or extra hepatic malignancy, unless adequately treated or in complete remission for ≥ 3 years
  17. BMI > 40 presenting a risk for surgery and tunneled lines
  18. Patients with contraindications for general anesthesia

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: TREATMENT
  • Allocation: RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: PARALLEL
  • Masking: NONE

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.
EXPERIMENTAL: ALFApump removal of ascites
Removal of ascites
Device: ALFApump removal of ascites
Implanted ALFApump, removing produced ascites according to programmed schedule
Other Names:
  • ALFApump (Automated Low Flow Ascites pump)
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Large volume paracentesis for removal of ascites
Removal of ascites
Procedure: Large volume paracentesis for removal of ascites
Large volume paracentesis - standard of care, removing ascites according to patient need
Other Names:
  • Extraction of fluid from the abdominal cavity

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
Paracentesis free survival
Time Frame: 6 months
Paracentesis-free survival, defined as time to first large volume therapeutic paracentesis > 5 litres
6 months

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Survival
Time Frame: 6 months
6 months
Quality of Life
Time Frame: 6 months
6 months
Body weight
Time Frame: 6 months
6 months
Non-inferiority of cirrhosis related complication in the patient group treated with the ALFApump system
Time Frame: 6 months
Cirrhosis-related complications
6 months
Nutritional profile
Time Frame: 6 months
6 months
Resource utilisation
Time Frame: 6 months
6 months
Assess the need for repeat evacuation paracentesis
Time Frame: 6 months
6 months

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.
Sequana Medical N.V.

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: Rajiv Jalan, Professor, UCL Institute of Hepatology, Royal Free Hospital, London

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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 Major Dates

Study Start (ACTUAL)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 17, 2012

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 21, 2016

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 21, 2016

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).
January 31, 2012

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.
February 7, 2012

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.
February 8, 2012

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ACTUAL)

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.
June 14, 2017

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.
June 12, 2017

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.
June 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • 2012-AAR-005

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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