Deflazacort in Dysferlinopathies

August 31, 2015 updated by: Maggie Walter, Ludwig-Maximilians - University of Munich

Deflazacort in Dysferlinopathies (LGMD2B/MM) - a Double Blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study

The present study is designed to assess the natural history in a one year pre-phase of the trial and evaluate therapeutic efficacy and side effects of deflazacort in LGMD2B/MM patients in a placebo-controlled trial. Furthermore, long-term development of the disease under naturalistic conditions will be documented in a 2-year follow-up after the end of the double-blind treatment phase.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Limb girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs) are a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders encompassing various genetically defined subtypes (LGMD 2A-2H). Therapeutic trials should address each disease entity separately to assess effectiveness of medical treatments. A placebo-controlled trial in patients with dysferlinopathy may reveal insights in the natural course of the disease and show therapeutic options in a homogeneous group of patients. So far, steroids are the only drugs showing efficacy in muscular dystrophies, mainly in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Both dystrophin and dysferlin are attached to the sarcolemma and deficiency of both proteins cause sarcolemmal defects; therefore, any membrane-stabilizing steroid effect may be beneficial in both DMD and LGMD2B/ Myoshi myopathy (MM). Furthermore, there is marked inflammation in muscle biopsies of many LGMD2B patients. Therefore, the anti-inflammatory effect of steroids may improve muscle function in LGMD2B/MM. In our trial, effects of deflazacort in patients with dysferlinopathy (LGMD2B/MM) on strength and daily-life activities are addressed. The present study is designed to assess the natural history and evaluate therapeutic efficacy and side effects of deflazacort / placebo in LGMD2B/MM patients.

Although no major therapeutic breakthrough has been achieved and curative treatment modalities are not yet applicable, life expectancy and quality of life of dysferlinopathy patients could be remarkably improved by establishing a drug therapy, capable of delaying the dystrophic process and improving muscle strength and function. Therefore, the results of this study are warranted and may influence further guidelines for steroid treatment in dysferlinopathies. Furthermore, the assessment of the natural history of the disease will provide new insights in the clinical understanding of dysferlinopathies.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

25

Phase

  • Phase 2
  • 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

  • Germany
      • Munich, Germany, 80801
        • Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Dept. of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich

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:

  • Clinically, histologically, immunohistochemically and genetically defined muscular dystrophy with dysferlin-deficiency (LGMD2B/MM).
  • Patients should fulfill clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical and immunoblot criteria of LGMD 2B and definite mutation in dysferlin gene.
  • There is no limitation on age for study inclusion.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients confined to bed or wheelchair.
  • Patients with other neurologic or internistic diseases and patients with former or current steroid treatment will not be included.
  • Exclusion criteria during the trial are withdrawal of informed consent or lack of compliance.

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: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: A
After 6 months of treatment, and a 3-months wash-out, there is cross-over to Arm B
Drug: deflazacort
In the first 12 months, patients will receive no treatment to assess the natural history of the disease. Afterwards, patients will be treated with deflazacort 1mg/kg/day or placebo for the first month on treatment, from the second month on deflazacort or placebo will be administered on an alternate day regimen). Patients will be randomized to six months verum or placebo each, after a 3-months wash-out patients cross over to the alternate treatment for six months. In a 2-years follow-up phase after the double-blind treatment phase, long-term development of the disorder will be documented.
Other Names:
  • Corticosteroid
  • Calcort
Placebo Comparator: B
After 6 months of treatment, and a 3-months wash-out, there is cross-over to Arm A
Drug: placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Muscle strength according to Medical Research Council Scales (MRC) and quantitative strength measurement evaluated by hand-held dynamometry (Citec, Groningen, The Netherlands)in the same muscle groups.
Time Frame: each 6 months
each 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Quantitative strength measurement (QSM, M3diagnos, Fa. Schnell, Germany), Neuromuscular Symptoms Score (NSS), timed function tests, Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) of change and quality of life assessment(SF-36 scale).
Time Frame: each 6 months
each 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Ludwig-Maximilians - University of Munich

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Maggie C. Walter, MD, Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Dept. of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany

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

Helpful Links

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

September 1, 2003

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 1, 2008

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 6, 2007

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 6, 2007

First Posted (Estimate)

September 10, 2007

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

September 2, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 31, 2015

Last Verified

August 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 274/02

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.

Clinical Trials on Dysferlinopathy

Clinical Trials on placebo

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Uganda

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

3
Subscribe