Early vs Late Introduction of Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-infected Patients With Tuberculosis (ANRS 1295 CAMELIA)

Early vs Late Introduction of Antiretroviral Therapy in Naive HIV-infected Patients With Tuberculosis in Cambodia

In Cambodia the prevalence of both tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is high. Data suggest that aggressive management of HIV infection, which includes Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) during treatment of TB, decreases both morbidity and mortality. On the other hand, the use of HAART for patients with TB may cause severe complications due to drug-drug interactions, and occasionally a temporary exacerbation of symptoms. These reactions may be particularly severe when HAART is started soon after the start of TB treatment.

The proposed study aims to determine the optimal time to initiate HAART in previously untreated HIV-infected adult patients with TB and low CD4 cell counts.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

In Cambodia the prevalence of both tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is high. In 2000, there were approximately 75.000 newly diagnosed TB cases. In 2003, 1.9% of the population was infected with HIV. TB rates in Cambodia are more than double those observed in other developing countries and up to 30 times higher than those currently seen in the USA or Western Europe. It is estimated that over 8% of the newly diagnosed TB cases are co-infected with HIV, of which approximately 85% are severely immunosuppressed (CD4+ cell count < 200 x 106 cells/l).

Mortality rates were found to be 2-4 folds higher in HIV/TB co-infected patients than in TB alone. Data suggest that aggressive management of HIV infection, which includes Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) during treatment of TB decreases both morbidity and mortality by suppressing viral replication and improving immune function.

On the other hand, the use of HAART for patients with TB may cause severe complications due to drug-drug interactions, and occasionally a temporary exacerbation of symptoms, signs or radiographic manifestations of TB. Such events or 'paradoxical reactions' that occur among 7 - 36% of HIV/TB co-infected patients treated with HAART may be secondary to immune restitution. These reactions may be particularly severe when HAART is started soon after the start of TB treatment.

Most clinical teams recommend delaying the initiation of HAART to avoid the early side effects of TB treatment and simplify clinical management of the co-infected patient. However others argue that early initiation of HAART in TB patients with CD4 cell counts < 100 x 106 cells/l leads to a marked reduction of viral load despite frequent adverse events.

The proposed study aims to determine the optimal time to initiate HAART (defined as d4T + 3TC + efavirenz) in previously untreated HIV-infected adult patients with TB and low CD4 cell counts. The study is a multicentre prospective, randomized, open-label two-armed trial with no placebo. It is designed as a superiority trial to compare the "early arm" (HAART initiated 2 weeks after TB treatment onset) with the "late arm" (HAART initiated 2 months after TB treatment onset). Efficacy will be assessed by the survival rate in the two arms. Secondary objectives will include evaluation of (1) the safety of an early initiation of HAART in terms of drug interactions or paradoxical reactions, (2) the occurrence of opportunistic infections diagnosed during the follow-up period, (3) patients' adherence to TB treatment and HAART, (4) the rate of hospitalization for any cause during the trial; the measure of (5) the effectiveness of the TB treatment and HAART and (6) the predictive factors for the survival, the response to anti-TB therapy and HAART and the paradoxical reactions.

The total study duration is expected to be 4 years (3 years for enrolment and at least one year of follow-up) in five study sites: (1) Khmero-Soviet Friendship Hospital, Phnom Penh; (2) Calmette Hospital, Phnom Penh; (3) Provincial hospital, Svay Rieng province; and (4) Provincial hospital, Takeo province, (5) Provincial Hospital, Siem Reap.

The study will be carried out in compliance with the protocol and in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki approved by the World Health Association and with the recommendations of the Good Clinical Practice.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

661

Phase

  • 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

      • Phnom Penh, Cambodia
        • Calmette Hospital
      • Phnom Penh, Cambodia
        • Khmero-Soviet Friendship Hospital
      • Siem Reap, Cambodia
        • Siem Reap Referral Hospital
      • Svay Rieng, Cambodia
        • Provincial Hospital
      • Takeo, Cambodia
        • Provincial 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 and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 or over
  • Positive HIV test result
  • CD4+ cell count under or equal to 200 cells per ml within 14 days prior the study entry
  • Positive AFB on any smear (sputum, lymph node drainage, stool, CSF, pleural fluid)
  • Naive to ART
  • TB treatment started less than one week prior enrolment
  • Negative gonadotrophin pregnancy test (blood) for women of childbearing potential (i.e. not surgically sterile or less than 2 years menopause)
  • Agreement from female candidates who are participating in sexual activity that could lead to pregnancy while receiving and for 6 weeks after stopping efavirenz to use two reliable methods of contraception, one of which including condom.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Suspected TB with negative AFB
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women
  • Impaired hepatic function (icterus, elevated AST or ALT at least 5 times over the normal value)
  • Unable and/or unlikely to comprehend and/or be adherent to the protocol
  • Treated for a previous suspected or documented TB other than the ongoing infection which motivates enrolment in this trial

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 Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 1
The ARV treatment is started 2 weeks after the diagnosis and the start of the anti-tuberculosis treatment
Active Comparator: 2
The ARV treatment is started 8 weeks after the diagnosis and the start of the anti-tuberculosis treatment

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Survival rate
Time Frame: At the end of the study
At the end of the study

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Type, frequency and severity of Adverse Events that occur during the trial and to their potential relations with the drugs, HIV or TB infection
Time Frame: During the overall study
During the overall study
Frequency of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome
Time Frame: During the overall study
During the overall study
Frequency of TB paradoxical reaction, defined as worsening or emergence of signs or symptoms of TB (e.g. fever, cough, shortness of breath, adenopathy or exacerbation of disease at other extra pulmonary sites) during appropriate TB treatment
Time Frame: During the overall study
During the overall study
Occurrence of opportunistic infections
Time Frame: During the overall study
During the overall study
Evaluation of TB treatment success
Time Frame: During the overall study
During the overall study
Evaluation of ART treatment success
Time Frame: During the overall study
During the overall study
Resistance to ARV treatment determined by genotyping HIV-1 strains among patients with detectable viral load on Day 0 and Week 50
Time Frame: Within 12 months of follow-up
Within 12 months of follow-up
Patient's adherence to TB and ARV treatment evaluated based on interviews and pill counts at each study visit
Time Frame: During the overall study
During the overall study
Pharmacokinetic study to assess efavirenz plasma exposure will be assayed at regular time intervals
Time Frame: Within 12 months of follow-up
Within 12 months of follow-up
Survival Rate
Time Frame: 50 weeks after enrolment
50 weeks after enrolment

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: François-Xavier Blanc, Bicêtre University Hospital, France
  • Principal Investigator: Thim Sok, Cambodian Health Committee, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
  • Principal Investigator: Anne Goldfeld, Institute for Biomedical Research, Boston, USA

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

January 1, 2006

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 23, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 23, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

September 27, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 16, 2012

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 15, 2012

Last Verified

March 1, 2012

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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