Antibiotic Treatment Trial Directed Against Chlamydia Pneumonia in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, demyelinating disease which affects the central nervous system (CNS). The etiology of MS is unknown, although the immune system appears to play a role. Many different infectious agents have been proposed as potential causes for MS, including Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 6, and coronaviruses. Recently Dr. Sriram at Vanderbilt University has found evidence for active Chlamydia pneumonia infection in the CNS of MS patients. These findings have been replicated in part by other laboratories.

The purpose of the current study is to test whether antibiotic treatment aimed at eradicating Chlamydia infection will reduce the disease activity in MS. The primary outcome measure will be reduction in new enhancing MS lesions on brain MRI. Forty patients will be entered into the trial. To be eligible, patients must have evidence of chlamydia infection in their spinal fluid and enhancing lesions on their pre-randomization MRI scans. Patients who meet these criteria will be randomized to either placebo or antibiotic therapy, and followed for 6 months on treatment.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

40

Phase

  • Phase 2

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

    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • University of Texas Medical School

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 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Patients with unequivocal diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and have evidence of C. pneumoniae infection in the cerebral spinal fluid

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
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this 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 Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 7, 2002

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 7, 2002

First Posted (Estimate)

August 8, 2002

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

June 24, 2005

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 23, 2005

Last Verified

December 1, 2003

More Information

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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