Thymosin Alpha 1 in the Prevention of Pancreatic Infection Following Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis (TRACE)

April 1, 2021 updated by: Weiqin Li

Infected pancreatic necrosis and its related septic complications are the major cause of death in patients with acute pancreatitis, therefore prevention of pancreatic infection is of great clinical value in the treatment of AP.

Immunosuppression and disorders characterized by decreased HLA-DR expression and unbalanced CD3/CD4+/CD8+ T cells of PBMC are thought to be associated with the development of pancreatic infection. Thymosin alpha 1 has been shown to have immunomodulatory properties and its effects in preventing pancreatic infection was not well studied. To evaluate the effects of TA1 use in the early phase on preventing pancreatic infection, immunomodulation and clinical outcomes in patients with AP,we aimed to design this study.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Study Background & Rationale:

Infected pancreatic necrosis and its related septic complications are the major cause of death in patients with acute pancreatitis1, therefore prevention of pancreatic infection is of great clinical value in the treatment of AP.

Immunosuppression and disorders characterized by decreased HLA-DR expression and unbalanced CD3/CD4+/CD8+ T cells of PBMC are thought to be associated with the development of pancreatic infection2, 3. Thymosin alpha 1 has been shown to have immunomodulatory properties and its effects in preventing pancreatic infection was not well studied4.

Aim of This Study:

To evaluate the effects of TA1 use in the early phase on preventing pancreatic infection, immunomodulation and clinical outcomes in patients with AP.

Sample Size Estimation:

The prevalence of pancreatic infection was reported to be around 25% in AP episodes. To demonstrate a 40% reduction in the prevalence of pancreatic infection with 80% power at a two-sided alpha level of .05, we projected an estimated sample size of 500 participants. Considering possible 2% withdraw, we plan to randomize 510 patients in total.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

508

Phase

  • Phase 4

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

    • Jiangsu
      • Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, 210002
        • Department of SICU, Research Institute of General Surgery Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
      • Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, 210010
        • Jinling 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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion criteria

  1. Symptoms and signs of acute pancreatitis based on abdominal pain suggestive of AP, serum amylase at least three times the upper limit of normal, and/or characteristic findings of AP on computed tomography or less commonly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or transabdominal ultrasonography according to the Revised Atlanta Criteria[15];
  2. Less than one week from the onset of abdominal pain;
  3. Age between 18 to 70 years old;
  4. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation(APACHE II) score ≥8 during the last 24 hours before enrollment
  5. Balthazar CT score ≥5 (presence of pancreatic necrosis)[16].
  6. Written informed consent obtained

Exclusion criteria

  1. Pregnant pancreatitis;
  2. History of chronic pancreatitis;
  3. Malignancy related acute pancreatitis
  4. Receiving early intervention or surgery due to abdominal compartment syndrome or other reasons before admission;
  5. Patients with a known history of severe cardiovascular, respiratory, renal or hepatic diseases defined as (1) greater than New York Heart Association Class II heart failure(Class II not included), (2) active myocardial ischemia or (3) cardiovascular intervention within previous 60 days, (4) history of cirrhosis or (5) chronic kidney disease with creatinine clearance< 40 mL/min, or (6) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with requirement for home oxygen;
  6. Patients with preexisting immune disorders such as AIDS.

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
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Thymosin
Thymosin alpha 1 has been shown to have immunomodulatory properties
In addition to the standard treatment, thymosin therapy will be started after admission: 1.6mg I.H q12h for the first 7 days and 1.6mg I.H, qd for the following 7 days or until discharge.
Other Names:
  • Thymosin Group
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
normal saline;
Placebo inject will be given at the same dose as Thymosin in addition to the standard treatment.
Other Names:
  • Placebo Group

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Occurrence of pancreatic infection:
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The occurrence of new-onset organ failure and new-onset persistent organ failure
Time Frame: during the index admission
(SOFA score for respiration, cardiovascular, or renal system ≥2 ). New-onset is defined as events that occur after randomization and not present 24 hours before randomization
during the index admission
In-hospital mortality
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission
Bleeding requiring intervention
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission
Gastrointestinal perforation or fistula requiring intervention
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission
Incidence of pancreatic fistula
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission
New receipt of mechanical ventilation/renal replacement therapy /New receipt of vasoactive agents
Time Frame: during the index admission
not applied 24 hours before randomization
during the index admission
The requirement for catheter drainage/Number of drainage procedures required
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission
The requirement for minimally-invasive debridement/Number of minimally invasive necrosectomy required
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission
The requirement for open surgery/Number of open surgery required
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission
Length of intensive care unit(ICU) stay/Length of hospital stay
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission
SOFA score/ CRP level/ HLA-DR level/ Lymphocyte count
Time Frame: on day0, day7, and day14
on day0, day7, and day14
In-hospital cost.
Time Frame: during the index admission
during the index admission
Incidence of infection within 90 days after enrollment
Time Frame: 90 days after enrollment
90 days after enrollment
Mortality within 90 days after enrollment
Time Frame: 90 days after enrollment
90 days after enrollment

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Li Weiqin, M.D., Department of SICU, Research Institute of General Surgery Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, Chin
  • Study Director: Ke Lu, M.D., Department of SICU, Research Institute of General Surgery Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, Chin
  • Principal Investigator: Zhou Jing, M.D., Department of SICU, Research Institute of General Surgery Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, Chin

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.

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)

March 27, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 24, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

March 24, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 12, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 15, 2015

First Posted (Estimate)

June 16, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 5, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 1, 2021

Last Verified

April 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • TRACE trial

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

Undecided

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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