Dataset Information

Oral prednisolone for acute otitis media in children: protocol of a pilot randomised, open-label, controlled study (OPAL study).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acute otitis media (AOM) is an acute inflammation of the middle ear commonly found in children, for which antibiotics are frequently prescribed. However, antibiotics are beneficial for only one third of AOM cases, and then, with only modest benefit. Since antibiotic use leads to risk of side effects and resistance, effective alternative treatments are required. Corticosteroids are a candidate because of their anti-inflammatory effects, although evidence of their efficacy and harms is insufficient. Accordingly, we plan a large, rigorous clinical trial to test this. Initially, we will test pre-specified methods and procedures (including the overall process, resources, management, and scientific components) in a pilot study of corticosteroids for AOM, which will inform a future, definitive trial.

Methods

This is a pilot pragmatic, randomised, open-label, single-blind, controlled study of corticosteroids as either monotherapy or an addition to antibiotics in 60 children aged 6 months to 12 years with AOM in two cities (Jakarta and Bekasi) in Indonesia. We will randomise eligible children to prednisolone or control. We will also stratify by disease severity and randomise those with mild AOM to expectant observation plus prednisolone or observation alone and those with severe AOM to prednisolone plus antibiotic or antibiotic alone. Our outcomes are to determine (1) recruitment rates, (2) the success of the study procedures, (3) the ability to measure planned outcomes of the proposed main study, (4) the compliance to study visits and study medication, and (5) verification of the sample size calculation for the main study. We will also assess middle ear effusion using tympanometry as part of a mechanistic sub-study.

Discussion

This study will test all procedures in preparation for the main study, including several potential obstacles and challenges from the perspective of participating physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and the parents of eligible children. This information will be useful for developing strategies to overcome practical and procedural issues. This study may also provide information about the effects of corticosteroids on middle ear effusion in AOM.

Trial registration

Study registry number: ACTRN12618000049279. Name of registry: the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR). Date of registration: 16 January 2018.

SUBMITTER: Ranakusuma RW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6130070 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Oral prednisolone for acute otitis media in children: protocol of a pilot randomised, open-label, controlled study (OPAL study).

Ranakusuma Respati W RW McCullough Amanda R AR Safitri Eka D ED Pitoyo Yupitri Y Widyaningsih Del Mar Christopher B CB Beller Elaine M EM

Pilot and feasibility studies 20180910

<h4>Background</h4>Acute otitis media (AOM) is an acute inflammation of the middle ear commonly found in children, for which antibiotics are frequently prescribed. However, antibiotics are beneficial for only one third of AOM cases, and then, with only modest benefit. Since antibiotic use leads to risk of side effects and resistance, effective alternative treatments are required. Corticosteroids are a candidate because of their anti-inflammatory effects, although evidence of their efficacy and h ...[more]

PMID: 30214821

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Project description:BackgroundAcute otitis media (AOM) is associated with high antibiotic prescribing rates. Antibiotics are somewhat effective in improving pain and middle ear effusion (MEE); however, they have unfavourable effects. Alternative treatments, such as corticosteroids as anti-inflammatory agents, are needed. Evidence for the efficacy of these remains inconclusive. We conducted a pilot study to test feasibility of a proposed large-scale randomised controlled trial (RCT) to assess the efficacy of corticosteroids for AOM.MethodsWe conducted a pilot, pragmatic, parallel, open-label RCT of oral corticosteroids for paediatric AOM in primary and secondary/tertiary care centres in Indonesia. Children aged 6 months-12 years with AOM were randomised to either prednisolone or control (1:1). Physicians were blinded to allocation. Our objectives were to test the feasibility of our full RCT procedures and design, and assess the mechanistic effect of corticosteroids, using tympanometry, in suppressing middle ear inflammation by reducing MEE.ResultsWe screened 512 children; 62 (38%) of 161 eligible children were randomised and 60 were analysed for the primary clinical outcome. All study procedures were completed successfully by healthcare personnel and parents/caregivers, despite time constraints and high workload. All eligible, consenting children were appropriately randomised. One child did not take the medication and four received additional oral corticosteroids. Our revised sample size calculation verified 444 children are needed for the full RCT. Oral corticosteroids did not have any discernible effects on MEE resolution and duration. There was no correlation between pain or other symptoms and MEE change. However, prednisolone may reduce pain intensity at day 3 (Visual Analogue Scale mean difference - 7.4 mm, 95% confidence interval (CI) - 13.4 to - 1.3, p = 0.018), but cause drowsiness (relative risk (RR) 1.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.8, p = 0.016). Tympanometry curves at day 7 may be improved (RR 1.8, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.9). We cannot yet confirm these as effects of corticosteroids due to insufficient sample size in this pilot study.ConclusionsIt is feasible to conduct a large, pragmatic RCT of corticosteroids for paediatric AOM in Indonesia. Although oral corticosteroids may reduce pain and improve tympanometry curves, it requires an adequately powered clinical trial to confirm this.Trial registrationStudy registry number: ACTRN12618000049279. Name of registry: the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR). Date of registration: 16 January 2018.

Project description:Tosedostat is a novel oral aminopeptidase inhibitor with clinical activity in a previous phase 1-2 study in elderly patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We aimed to compare two dosing regimens of tosedostat.In this randomised phase 2 study, patients aged 60 years or older with AML that had relapsed after a first complete remission lasting less than 12 months, or had achieved no previous complete remission, were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive as first salvage tosedostat 120 mg once daily for 6 months or 240 mg once daily for 2 months followed by 120 mg for 4 months. Randomisation was by block method via an interactive web response system using a randomisation schedule generated by an external vendor, with no stratification. The study was open label. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who obtained a complete remission or complete remission with incomplete platelet recovery. Analyses included all patients randomly assigned to treatment groups who received at least one oral dose of tosedostat. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00780598.38 patients were randomly assigned to receive tosedostat 120 mg and 38 to receive the tosedostat 240 mg to 120 mg regimen. 38 patients in the 120 mg group and 35 in the 240 mg to 120 mg group received tosedostat. Seven patients (10%) had complete remission or complete remission with incomplete platelet recovery: two (5%) in the 120 mg group and five (14%) in the 240 mg to 120 mg group. The most common grade 3 or worse adverse events were febrile neutropenia (11 [29%] patients in the 120 mg group and ten [29%] of the 240 mg to 120 mg group), thrombocytopenia (eight [21%] and eight [23%] patients), fatigue (seven [18%] and eight [23%] patients), dyspnoea (five [13%] and seven [20%] patients), and pneumonia (four [11%] and six [17%] patients). There were five fatal adverse events deemed to be treatment-related: three in the 120 mg group and two in the 240 mg to 120 mg group. The events were acute hepatitis, respiratory failure, pneumonia, atrial fibrillation, and left ventricular dysfunction.Tosedostat, at either dose schedule, has activity in older patients with relapsed or refractory AML. Additional studies of tosedostat including combination with hypomethylating agents and low-dose cytarabine in patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and AML are ongoing or planned.Chroma Therapeutics.

Project description:BackgroundChildren with persistent hearing loss due to otitis media with effusion are commonly managed by surgical intervention. A safe, cheap, and effective medical treatment would enhance treatment options. Underpowered, poor-quality trials have found short-term benefit from oral steroids. We aimed to investigate whether a short course of oral steroids would achieve acceptable hearing in children with persistent otitis media with effusion and hearing loss.MethodsIn this individually randomised, parallel, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial we recruited children aged 2-8 years with symptoms attributable to otitis media with effusion for at least 3 months and with confirmed bilateral hearing loss. Participants were recruited from 20 ear, nose, and throat (ENT), paediatric audiology, and audiovestibular medicine outpatient departments in England and Wales. Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to sequentially numbered identical prednisolone (oral steroid) or placebo packs by use of computer-generated random permuted block sizes stratified by site and child's age. The primary outcome was audiometry-confirmed acceptable hearing at 5 weeks. All analyses were by intention to treat. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN Registry, number ISRCTN49798431.FindingsBetween March 20, 2014, and April 5, 2016, 1018 children were screened, of whom 389 were randomised. 200 were assigned to receive oral steroids and 189 to receive placebo. Hearing at 5 weeks was assessed in 183 children in the oral steroid group and in 180 in the placebo group. Acceptable hearing was observed in 73 (40%) children in the oral steroid group and in 59 (33%) in the placebo group (absolute difference 7% [95% CI -3 to 17], number needed to treat 14; adjusted odds ratio 1·36 [95% CI 0·88-2·11]; p=0·16). There was no evidence of any significant differences in adverse events or quality-of-life measures between the groups.InterpretationOtitis media with effusion in children with documented hearing loss and attributable symptoms for at least 3 months has a high rate of spontaneous resolution. A short course of oral prednisolone is not an effective treatment for most children aged 2-8 years with persistent otitis media with effusion, but is well tolerated. One in 14 children might achieve improved hearing but not quality of life. Discussions about watchful waiting and other interventions will be supported by this evidence.FundingNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme.

Dataset Information

Oral prednisolone for acute otitis media in children: protocol of a pilot randomised, open-label, controlled study (OPAL study).

Background

Methods

Discussion

Trial registration

Publications

Oral prednisolone for acute otitis media in children: protocol of a pilot randomised, open-label, controlled study (OPAL study).

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