Immunoadsorption Versus Plasma Exchange for Treatment of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) (IPET-GBS)

April 30, 2026 updated by: Albert Christian Ludolph, Prof., University of Ulm
This is an observations study evaluating safety and efficacy of immunoadsorption compared to plasma exchange in Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

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.
20

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Germany
    • Baden-Wurttemberg
      • Ulm, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, 89081
        • Recruiting
        • Department of Neurology, University of Ulm
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Albert C Ludolph, MD, Prof.

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

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of patients diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) who are treated with either plasma exchange or immunoadsorption in the Department of Neurology, University of Ulm.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome according to the diagnostic criteria proposed by Doorn et al. (Clinical features, pathogenesis, and treatment of Guillain-Barré syndrome, Lancet neurology 2008)
  • age 18 years or above

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Clinical or laboratory (C-reactive protein 20 mg/l or above, or evidence of nitrite-positive urinary tract infection) evidence of manifest systemic infection
  • Intake of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor within1 weeks before first treatment
  • Other contraindications against immunoadsorption or plasma exchange

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
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.
Immunoadsorption
Device: Immunoadsorption
1 cycle, consisting of 5 sessions on 5 consecutive days with processing of the 0.7-fold individual plasma volume (maximum 2.5 l) each days with tryptophan adsorbers.
Plasma Exchange
Device: Plasma Exchange
1 cycle, consisting of 5 sessions on 5 consecutive days with exchange of 0.7-fold plasma volume (maximum 2.5 l) each day with albumin solution as volume replacement solution.

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
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) Score
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Combined score consisting of Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment (INCAT) disability score, Oxford muscle strength score, and vibration score, equally weighted
2 weeks
Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment (INCAT) disability score
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Standard clinical score for inflammatory neuropathies.
2 weeks
Oxford Muscle Strength Score (Medical Research Council, MRC)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Standard clinical score for evaluating muscle strength / paresis. Muscle strength will be measured on a scale between 0 (no movement) and 5 (full strength) on 8 pre-defined muscles (one proximal and one distal muscle at each extremity).
2 weeks
Vibration Score
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Standard clinical score for evaluation of vibration sensitivity on a scale between 0 and 8, using a 256 tuning fork at 4 predefined spots (processus styloideus radii and malleolus lateralis on both sides).
2 weeks

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
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) Score
Time Frame: 1, 3, and 5 weeks
Combined score consisting of Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment (INCAT) disability score, Oxford muscle strength score, and vibration score, equally weighted
1, 3, and 5 weeks
Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment (INCAT) disability score
Time Frame: 1, 3, and 5 weeks
Standard clinical score for inflammatory neuropathies.
1, 3, and 5 weeks
Oxford Muscle Strength Score (Medical Research Council, MRC)
Time Frame: 1, 3, and 5 weeks
Standard clinical score for evaluating muscle strength / paresis. Muscle strength will be measured on a scale between 0 (no movement) and 5 (full strength) on 8 pre-defined muscles (one proximal and one distal muscle at each extremity).
1, 3, and 5 weeks
Vibration Score
Time Frame: 1, 3, and 5 weeks
Standard clinical score for evaluation of vibration sensitivity on a scale between 0 and 8, using a 256 tuning fork at 4 predefined spots (processus styloideus radii and malleolus lateralis on both sides).
1, 3, and 5 weeks
Hughes Score
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Standard clinical score to quantify disability in Guillain-Barré syndrome
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Pain
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Pain quantified on a visual analog scale between 0 (no pain) and 10 (maximum pain).
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
N20
Time Frame: 2 and 5 weeks
N20 latency of nervus medianus (both sides) as measured by somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs)
2 and 5 weeks
P40
Time Frame: 2 and 5 weeks
P40 latency of nervus tibialis (both sides) as measured by somatosensory evoked potentials
2 and 5 weeks
Nerve Conduction Velocity
Time Frame: 2 and 5 weeks
Nerve conduction velocity of clinically affected nerves as measured by electroneurography (ENG)
2 and 5 weeks
Euro Quality of Life 5 Dimensions 5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L)
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Quality of Life Scale
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Immunoglobulin A in serum
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Immunoglobulin A serum concentration
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Immunoglobulin A in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Immunoglobulin A concentration in cerebrospinal fluid
2 weeks
Immunoglobulin G in serum
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Immunoglobulin G serum concentration
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Immunoglobulin G in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Immunoglobulin G concentration in cerebrospinal fluid
2 weeks
Immunoglobulin M in serum
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Immunoglobulin M serum concentration
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Immunoglobulin M in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Immunoglobulin M concentration in cerebrospinal fluid
2 weeks
Interleukin-1
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Interleukin-1 serum concentration
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Interleukin-6
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Interleukin-6 serum concentration
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Anti-GM1 antibodies
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Anti-GM1 antibody serum levels
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Anti-GQ1b
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Anti-GQQ1b antibody serum levels
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) serum
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) serum levels
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
2 weeks
Safety and Tolerability
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Kind and frequency of Adverse Events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Therapeutic Response
Time Frame: 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks
Share of patients with at least 20% improvement in CIDP score
1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks

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 Ulm

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
DiaMed GmbH

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: Johannes Dorst, Prof, University of Ulm

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.
April 28, 2021

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

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 1, 2027

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).
April 28, 2021

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.
April 28, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

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.
May 4, 2021

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.
May 1, 2026

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.
April 30, 2026

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.
April 1, 2026

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.
  • IPET-GBS 1.2

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article, after de-identification (text, tables, and figures), as well as the study protocol will be available. Data will be available beginning 3 months and ending 5 years following article publication. Data will be shared with researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal. Data will be shared for analyses to achieve the aims in the approved proposal. Proposals should be directed to johannes.dorst@uni-ulm.de; to gain access, data requestors will need to sign a data access agreement. Data are available for 5 years at https://www.uniklinik-ulm.de/neurologie.html.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

3 months after publication until 5 years after publication

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Data will be shared with researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal. Data will be shared for analyses to achieve the aims in the approved proposal.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

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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