Historically Controlled Trial of Corticosteroids in Young Boys With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Summary

While it has been known for many years that corticosteroid use benefits boys with Duchenne Muscular dystrophy (DMD), most clinicians do not consider treating until after age 3 or 4 years of age. The primary reason for the delay is that daily corticosteroid use has many side effects including short stature, obesity, and osteoporosis. A recent randomized blinded study of weekend oral corticosteroid use over one year showed equal improvement in strength with fewer side effects, particularly as related to growth and cushingoid changes. The investigators will test the efficacy of oral weekend corticosteroid use in infants and young boys with DMD who are under age 30 months. The investigators have demonstrated that the Bayley-III Scales of Infant development shows that infants and young boys in this age group who are untreated decline in abilities when compared to their peers. Here, in this Phase 2 historically controlled trial, the investigators will use these two measures and treat boys at five Muscular Dystrophy Association-DMD centers

Timeline

Start

2014-04-17

Primary completion

2017-02-22

Completion

2017-03-22

Publications

• Background Connolly AM, Florence JM, Cradock MM, Malkus EC, Schierbecker JR, Siener CA, Wulf CO, Anand P, Golumbek PT, Zaidman CM, Philip Miller J, Lowes LP, Alfano LN, Viollet-Callendret L, Flanigan KM, Mendell JR, McDonald CM, Goude E, Johnson L, Nicorici A, Karachunski PI, Day JW, Dalton JC, Farber JM, Buser KK, Darras BT, Kang PB, Riley SO, Shriber E, Parad R, Bushby K, Eagle M; MDA DMD Clinical Research Network. Motor and cognitive assessment of infants and young boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: results from the Muscular Dystrophy Association DMD Clinical Research Network. Neuromuscul Disord. 2013 Jul;23(7):529-39. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2013.04.005. Epub 2013 May 28.
• Background Connolly AM, Schierbecker J, Renna R, Florence J. High dose weekly oral prednisone improves strength in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Neuromuscul Disord. 2002 Dec;12(10):917-25. doi: 10.1016/s0960-8966(02)00180-3.
• Background Escolar DM, Hache LP, Clemens PR, Cnaan A, McDonald CM, Viswanathan V, Kornberg AJ, Bertorini TE, Nevo Y, Lotze T, Pestronk A, Ryan MM, Monasterio E, Day JW, Zimmerman A, Arrieta A, Henricson E, Mayhew J, Florence J, Hu F, Connolly AM. Randomized, blinded trial of weekend vs daily prednisone in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Neurology. 2011 Aug 2;77(5):444-52. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318227b164. Epub 2011 Jul 13.
• Connolly AM, Zaidman CM, Golumbek PT, Cradock MM, Flanigan KM, Kuntz NL, Finkel RS, McDonald CM, Iannaccone ST, Anand P, Siener CA, Florence JM, Lowes LP, Alfano LN, Johnson LB, Nicorici A, Nelson LL, Mendell JR; MDA DMD Clinical Research Network. Twice-weekly glucocorticosteroids in infants and young boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Muscle Nerve. 2019 Jun;59(6):650-657. doi: 10.1002/mus.26441. Epub 2019 Feb 23.

Drugs

Indications