Azithromycin-Prevention in Labor Use Study (A-PLUS)

Prevention of Maternal and Neonatal Death/Infections With a Single Oral Dose of Azithromycin in Women in Labor (in Low- and Middle-income Countries): a Randomized Controlled Trial

Maternal and neonatal infections are among the most frequent causes of maternal and neonatal deaths, and current antibiotic strategies have not been effective in preventing many of these deaths. Recently, a randomized clinical trial conducted in a single site in The Gambia showed that treatment with oral dose of 2 g azithromycin vs. placebo for all women in labor reduced selected maternal and neonatal infections. However, it is unknown if this therapy reduces maternal and neonatal sepsis and mortality. The A-PLUS trial includes two primary hypotheses, a maternal hypothesis and a neonatal hypothesis. First, a single, prophylactic intrapartum oral dose of 2 g azithromycin given to women in labor will reduce maternal death or sepsis. Second, a single, prophylactic intrapartum oral dose of 2 g azithromycin given to women in labor will reduce intrapartum/neonatal death or sepsis.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

The A-PLUS Trial is a randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel multicenter clinical trial. The study intervention is a single, prophylactic intrapartum oral dose of 2 g azithromycin, with a comparison with a single intrapartum oral dose of an identical appearing placebo. For the A-PLUS randomized control trial (RCT), a total of 34,000 laboring women from eight research sites in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America will be randomized with one-to-one ratio to intervention/placebo. In response to the global coronavirus pandemic, research sites will also collect data on COVID-19 signs/symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment in order to estimate the incidence of infection and evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the target population.

Prior to the initiation of the A-PLUS RCT, research sites will conduct an observational pilot study using the RCT's planned infrastructure in order to characterize the current practices at participating research facilities and optimize the identification of suspected infection for the RCT. The information obtained in the pilot study will be used to validate estimates of intrapartum deaths, maternal sepsis, and neonatal sepsis used in the sample size calculations for the RCT. Finally, the pilot study will allow the research sites to inventory and upgrade local capacity to conduct routine cultures during the RCT.

A maximum of 16,000 women, separate from the sample for the main trial, will be enrolled in the pilot, across all eight research sites, with no more than 2000 women enrolled at any individual site. Research sites will be eligible to transition to the RCT when a minimum of 600 participants have been enrolled in the pilot study with evidence of (a) high rates of follow-up; (2) acceptable data quality and completeness; and (3) there are no concerns about identification and reporting of infection.

Given the clinical benefits of intrapartum azithromycin so far reported in two trials and the likelihood that it may become the usual practice if the investigator's large RCT confirms the reported benefits, it is important to monitor antibiotic resistance to determine the safety of azithromycin prophylaxis. Therefore, the RCT will also include an ancillary study (referred to as the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) sub-study) to monitor antimicrobial resistance and maternal and newborn microbiome effects of the single dose of prophylactic azithromycin using the following methodology

  1. For all mothers enrolled in the RCT and their infants:

    a. Routine clinical monitoring at baseline and three post-partum time points (3 days, 7 days, and 42 days), with culture and sensitivity testing in cases of suspected bacterial infections;

  2. Among a subset of 1000 randomly selected maternal-infant dyads:

    1. Serial susceptibility monitoring of antimicrobial resistance patterns (including azithromycin resistance) from selected maternal and newborn flora through culture and sensitivity testing. Serial monitoring will be conducted at baseline and three post-partum time points (1 week, 6 weeks, and 3 months).
    2. Serial microbiome collection and storage of specimens for future testing to monitor maternal and newborn microbiome status of selected sites.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

58747

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

      • Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1212
        • ICDDRB
      • Kinshasa, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
        • Kinshasa School of Public Health
      • Guatemala City, Guatemala, 01011
        • Institute for Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP)
      • Belagam, India, 590 010
        • Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College
      • Nagpur, India
        • Lata Medical Research Foundation
      • Eldoret, Kenya, 30100
        • Moi University School of Medicine
      • Karachi, Pakistan, 74800
        • The Aga Khan University
      • Lusaka, Zambia
        • University Teaching 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 45 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant women in labor ≥28 weeks Gestational Age (GA) (by best estimate) with a pregnancy with one or more live fetuses who plan to deliver vaginally in a facility.
  • Admitted to health facility with clear plan for spontaneous or induced delivery.
  • Live fetus must be confirmed via a fetal heart rate by Doptone prior to randomization.
  • ≥18 years of age or minors 14-17 years of age in countries where married or pregnant minors (or their authorized representatives) are legally permitted to give consent.
  • Have provided written informed consent.
  • Pregnant women in labor ≥28 weeks GA (by best estimate) with a pregnancy with one or more live fetuses who plan to deliver vaginally in a facility.
  • Admitted to health facility with clear plan for spontaneous or induced delivery.
  • Live fetus must be confirmed via presence of a fetal heart rate prior to randomization.
  • ≥18 years of age or minors 14-17 years of age in countries where married or pregnant minors (or their authorized representatives) are legally permitted to give consent.
  • Have provided written informed consent [Note: written informed consent may be obtained during antenatal care, but verbal re-confirmation may be needed (per local regulations) at the time of randomization].

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Non-emancipated minors (as per local regulations)
  • Evidence of chorioamnionitis or other infection requiring antibiotic therapy at time of eligibility (however, women given single prophylactic antibiotics with no plans to continue after delivery should not be excluded).
  • Arrhythmia or known history of cardiomyopathy.
  • Allergy to azithromycin or other macrolides that is self-reported or documented in the medical record.
  • Any use of azithromycin, erythromycin, or other macrolide in the 3 days or less prior to randomization.
  • Plan for cesarean delivery prior to randomization.
  • Preterm labor undergoing management with no immediate plan to proceed to delivery.
  • Advanced stage of labor (>6 cm or 10 cm cervical dilation per local standards) and pushing or too distressed to understand, confirm, or give informed consent regardless of cervical dilation.
  • Are not capable of giving consent due to other health problems such as obstetric emergencies (for example, antepartum hemorrhage) or mental disorder.
  • Any other medical conditions that may be considered a contraindication per the judgment of the site investigator.
  • Previous randomization in the 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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention
The study intervention is a single 2 g dose of directly observed oral azithromycin.
The study intervention is a single 2 g dose of directly observed oral azithromycin, to be administered as four 500 mg pills or tablets directly after randomization. By random allocation, participants will receive 2 g of oral azithromycin.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
By random allocation, participants will receive four oral placebo pills containing a non-antimicrobial agent directly after randomization.
Identical appearing placebo, administered as a single oral dose directly after randomization.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maternal Death or Sepsis Within 6 Weeks (42 Days) Post-delivery in Intervention vs. Placebo Group.
Time Frame: Within 6 weeks (42 days)
Maternal death or sepsis within 6 weeks (42 days) post-delivery in intervention vs. placebo group.
Within 6 weeks (42 days)
Intrapartum/Neonatal Death or Sepsis Within 4 Weeks (28 Days) Post-delivery in Intervention vs. Placebo Group
Time Frame: Within 4 weeks (28 days) post-delivery
Intrapartum/neonatal death or sepsis within 4 weeks (28 days) post-delivery in intervention vs. placebo group. This outcome is measured among stillbirths and neonates with 28-day status available born to women randomized. The study includes multiple births so there are more stillbirths and neonates than participants enrolled.
Within 4 weeks (28 days) post-delivery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maternal Sepsis
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery
Maternal sepsis within 6 weeks (42 days) post-delivery in intervention vs. placebo group.
Within 42 days post-delivery
Maternal Death Due to Sepsis
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery
Maternal death due to sepsis using the Global Network algorithm for cause of death
Within 42 days post-delivery
Chorioamnionitis
Time Frame: Between date/time of randomization and date/time of delivery (up to 120 hours before delivery)
Fever (>100.4°F/38°C) in addition to one or more of the following: fetal tachycardia ≥160 bpm, maternal tachycardia >100 bpm, tender uterus between contractions, or purulent/foul smelling discharge from uterus prior to delivery.
Between date/time of randomization and date/time of delivery (up to 120 hours before delivery)
Endometritis
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery
Fever (>100.4°F/38°C) in addition to one or more of maternal tachycardia >100 bpm, tender uterine fundus, or purulent/foul smelling discharge from uterus after delivery.
Within 42 days post-delivery
Cesarean Wound Infection
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery
Wound infection (Purulent infection of a Cesarean wound with or without fever. In the absence of purulence, requires presence of fever >100.4°F/38°C and at least one of the following signs of local infection: pain or tenderness, swelling, heat, or redness around the incision/laceration);
Within 42 days post-delivery
Perineal Wound Infection
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery
Wound infection (Purulent infection of a perineal wound with or without fever. In the absence of purulence, requires presence of fever >100.4°F/38°C and at least one of the following signs of local infection: pain or tenderness, swelling, heat, or redness around the incision/laceration);
Within 42 days post-delivery
Other Infections
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery
Abdominopelvic abscess (Evidence of pus in the abdomen or pelvis noted during open surgery, interventional aspiration or imaging); Pneumonia (Fever >100.4°F/38°C and clinical symptoms suggestive of lung infection including cough and/or tachypnea >24 breaths/min or radiological confirmation); Pyelonephritis (Fever >100.4°F/38°C and one or more of the following: urinalysis/dip suggestive of infection, costovertebral angle tenderness, or confirmatory urine culture); Mastitis/breast abscess or infection (Fever >100.4°F/38°C and one or more of the following: breast pain, swelling, warmth, redness, or purulent drainage). Other bacterial infection.
Within 42 days post-delivery
Use of Subsequent Maternal Antibiotic Therapy
Time Frame: After randomization to 42 days post-delivery. Randomization occurs between labor onset and delivery (0 to 120 hours before delivery). 42 participants were randomized >120 hours before delivery due to false labor.
Use of subsequent maternal antibiotic therapy after randomization to 42 days postpartum for any reason.
After randomization to 42 days post-delivery. Randomization occurs between labor onset and delivery (0 to 120 hours before delivery). 42 participants were randomized >120 hours before delivery due to false labor.
Maternal Initial Hospital Length of Stay
Time Frame: Time from drug administration (which occurs between onset of labor and delivery) and discharge from delivery hospital (0 to 45 days)
Time from drug administration until initial discharge after delivery (time may vary by site).
Time from drug administration (which occurs between onset of labor and delivery) and discharge from delivery hospital (0 to 45 days)
Maternal Readmissions
Time Frame: After delivery discharge and within 42 days post-delivery
Maternal readmissions after delivery discharge and within 42 days of delivery
After delivery discharge and within 42 days post-delivery
Maternal Admission to Special Care Units
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Maternal admission to special care units
Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Maternal Unscheduled Visit for Care
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Maternal unscheduled visit for care
Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Maternal GI Symptoms
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Maternal GI symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and other reported side effects.
Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Neonatal Sepsis
Time Frame: Within 28 days post-delivery
Neonatal sepsis within 4 weeks (28 days) post-delivery in intervention vs. placebo group. This outcome is measured among neonates born to women randomized. The study includes multiple births so there are more neonates than maternal participants enrolled.
Within 28 days post-delivery
Neonatal Death Due to Sepsis
Time Frame: Within 28 days post-delivery
Neonatal death due to sepsis using the Global Network algorithm for causes of death. This outcome is measured among neonates with 28-day status available born to women randomized. The study includes multiple births so there are more neonates than maternal participants enrolled.
Within 28 days post-delivery
Other Neonatal Infections
Time Frame: Within 28 days post-delivery
Other neonatal infections (e.g. eye infection, skin infection). This outcome is measured among neonates born to women randomized. The study includes multiple births so there are more neonates than maternal participants enrolled.
Within 28 days post-delivery
Neonatal Initial Hospital Length of Stay
Time Frame: Time from delivery to discharge from delivery hospital (0 to 62 days)
Neonatal initial hospital length of stay, defined as time of delivery until initial discharge (time may vary by site). This outcome is measured among neonates born to women randomized. The study includes multiple births so there are more neonates than maternal participants enrolled.
Time from delivery to discharge from delivery hospital (0 to 62 days)
Neonatal Readmissions
Time Frame: After delivery discharge and within 42 days of delivery
Neonatal readmissions to facility after delivery discharge and within 42 days of delivery. This outcome is measured among neonates born to women randomized. The study includes multiple births so there are more neonates than maternal participants enrolled.
After delivery discharge and within 42 days of delivery
Neonatal Admission to Special Care Units
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Neonatal admission to special care units. This outcome is measured among neonates born to women randomized. The study includes multiple births so there are more neonates than maternal participants enrolled.
Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Neonatal Unscheduled Visit for Care
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Neonatal unscheduled visit for care. This outcome is measured among neonates born to women randomized. The study includes multiple births so there are more neonates than maternal participants enrolled.
Within 42 days post-delivery (reported during study)
Pyloric Stenosis Within 42 Days of Delivery
Time Frame: Within 42 days post-delivery
Pyloric stenosis within 42 days of delivery, defined as clinical suspicion based on severe vomiting leading to death, surgical intervention (pyloromyotomy) as verified from medical records, or radiological confirmation. This outcome is measured among neonates born to women randomized. The study includes multiple births so there are more neonates than maternal participants enrolled.
Within 42 days post-delivery

Collaborators and Investigators

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

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 (Actual)

September 1, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 30, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

September 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 5, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 11, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

March 12, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

October 24, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 23, 2024

Last Verified

October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Deidentified participant data will be made available through the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (N-DASH) system, a publicly accessible online archive, following publication of the primary paper.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

No more than one year after publication of the primary paper. No end date.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Deidentified participant data will be made available through the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (N-DASH) system, a publicly accessible online archive. Investigators interested in data and access are required to submit their request through N-DASH, per the requirements of the DASH policy. This includes a brief description of the proposed use of the research data, a signed NICHD DASH Data Use Agreement, and IRB approval, exemption, or declaration that the research does not involve human subjects.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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