A 24 Month Study to Compare Efficacy of Doxycycline vs Placebo for Improving Filarial Lymphedema in India

Summary

Current lymphedema management protocols are based on the use of simple measures of hygiene (regular washing with soap and water, skin and nail care), use of topical antibiotics or antifungal agents, exercise and footwear. This is considered the "standard of care" in most endemic countries in the absence of any structured treatment programs. Previous controlled clinical trials and extensive field experience have shown the benefit of these measures in reducing the frequency of attacks of acute dermato-lymphangio-adenitis (ADLA) that drive the progression of lymphedema. In the present study, the progression of lymphedema in a group of patients who receive a six-week course of doxycycline will be compared with that of a group who receives doxycycline "look-alike" placebo tablets. However, both groups will be enrolled into a standardized "regimen of hygiene" described above. Thus, patients enrolled in the "placebo" group also will receive the current standard of care, and the placebo used in the study will help to identify the benefits of doxycycline on a background of simple hygiene measures. The regimens will be explained to all participants who will be trained to use established standardized methods of hygiene and be effectively applying it prior to the initiation of the drug treatment. In addition, patients will be evaluated at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months.. A common, generic SOP with handouts that describes methods and the training schedule will be used so that similar methods are employed across all sites.

Timeline

Start

2019-01-15

Primary completion

2021-06-18

Completion

2021-06-18

Publications

• Results Shenoy RK, Kumaraswami V, Suma TK, Rajan K, Radhakuttyamma G. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy of oral penicillin, diethylcarbamazine or local treatment of the affected limb in preventing acute adenolymphangitis in lymphoedema caused by brugian filariasis. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 1999 Jun;93(4):367-77. doi: 10.1080/00034989958366.
• Results Mand S, Debrah AY, Klarmann U, Batsa L, Marfo-Debrekyei Y, Kwarteng A, Specht S, Belda-Domene A, Fimmers R, Taylor M, Adjei O, Hoerauf A. Doxycycline improves filarial lymphedema independent of active filarial infection: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Infect Dis. 2012 Sep;55(5):621-30. doi: 10.1093/cid/cis486. Epub 2012 May 18.
• Results Dreyer G, Dreyer P, Noroes J. [Recommendations for the treatment of bancroftian filariasis in symptomless and diseased patients]. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2002 Jan-Feb;35(1):43-50. doi: 10.1590/s0037-86822002000100009. Portuguese.
• Horton J, Klarmann-Schulz U, Stephens M, Budge PJ, Coulibaly Y, Debrah A, Debrah LB, Krishnasastry S, Mwingira U, Ngenya A, Wanji S, Weerasooriya M, Yahathugoda C, Kroidl I, Deathe D, Majewski A, Sullivan S, Mackenzie C, Nutman TB, Shott JP, Weil G, Ottesen E, Hoerauf A. The design and development of a multicentric protocol to investigate the impact of adjunctive doxycycline on the management of peripheral lymphoedema caused by lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis. Parasit Vectors. 2020 Mar 30;13(1):155. doi: 10.1186/s13071-020-04024-2.

Drugs

Indications