Magnesium Sulphate for Severe Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in Vietnam

Summary

Hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common infectious disease caused by a number of different viruses - a small proportion of children infected with a particular type of enterovirus (EV71) develop neurological and systemic complications that may prove fatal. Very large epidemics of EV71 related HFMD have occurred across Asia in recent years; in 2011, in excess of 100,000 Vietnamese children were diagnosed with HFMD and 164 died. In children with severe HFMD the particular part of the brain that regulates the heart, blood circulation, and breathing responses can be affected. Management of this complication is very difficult and we currently use an expensive drug (milrinone) that is hard to obtain and has significant side effects, without having good evidence that it is effective. Magnesium sulphate (Mg) is a cheap, readily available drug that has been used in other diseases with similar complications, and we have preliminary data from a small case series that suggests it might be a good treatment for HFMD patients with signs indicating this type of brain involvement. We think that early intervention with Mg, when signs of brain involvement are still relatively mild, will control this problem better than waiting until it is well established and giving milrinone as at present, and this in turn may prevent progression to severe disease. The aims of the project are to evaluate the effects of Mg on hypertension, signs of brain dysfunction, outcome (death or neurological sequelae), changes in a variety of blood and urine components, and measures of cardiovascular function, in severe HFMD. The study design is a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Children on the pediatric intensive care unit with a clinical diagnosis of hand, foot and mouth disease will be eligible for enrolment if the blood pressure exceeds the internationally recognized threshold for Stage 1 hypertension, they exhibit at least one other sign of brain stem dysfunction, and there is written informed consent by a parent or guardian. According to the randomization, patients will receive an initial loading dose followed by a maintenance infusion, of either Mg or identical placebo for 72 hours; all staff involved in patient care will remain unaware of the treatment allocation, but staff from another department will monitor Mg blood levels to ensure safety and adequate dosing. A total of 190 patients (95 in each arm) will be recruited.

Timeline

Start

2014-04-21

Primary completion

2016-06-30

Completion

2016-12-28

Publications

• Phan QT, Phung LK, Truong KH, Huynh TT, Pham GT, Nguyen BN, Tran QT, Huynh VNT, Nguyen TTM, Le TPK, Le NNT, Sabanathan S, van Doorn HR, Van Le T, Nguyen TD, Merson L, Nguyen DTP, Geskus R, Nguyen HT, Nguyen CVV, Wills B. Assessing the efficacy and safety of magnesium sulfate for management of autonomic nervous system dysregulation in Vietnamese children with severe hand foot and mouth disease. BMC Infect Dis. 2019 Aug 22;19(1):737. doi: 10.1186/s12879-019-4356-x.
• Qui PT, Khanh TH, Trieu HT, Giang PT, Bich NN, Thoa le PK, Nhan le NT, Sabanathan S, Van Doorn R, Toan ND, Merson L, Dung NT, Khanh LP, Wolbers M, Hung NT, Chau NV, Wills B. Intravenous magnesium sulfate for the management of severe hand, foot, and mouth disease with autonomic nervous system dysregulation in Vietnamese children: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2016 Feb 19;17:98. doi: 10.1186/s13063-016-1215-6.

Drugs

Indications