Plasma exchange and glucocorticoid dosing in the treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody associated vasculitis

ISRCTN ISRCTN07757494
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN07757494
EudraCT/CTIS number 2009-013220-24
ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00987389
Secondary identifying numbers HTA 08/56/04; PEXIVASv1.0
Submission date
01/06/2009
Registration date
22/06/2009
Last edited
27/09/2022
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Severe, antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody associated vasculitis (AAV) is an uncommon disease of the immune system diagnosed in about 1430 per 100,000 people in the UK each year. It is caused by caused by abnormal antibodies that attack the body’s own cells and tissues. AAV is important because it carries a poor prognosis, with up to half of patients dying or developing kidney failure within 5 years. Two major problems hinder the treatment of AAV: a lack of treatment strategies to bring the disease under control quickly before it causes major organ damage, and a high degree of treatment-related toxicity (side effects). The aim of this study is to examine these problems in patients with severe AAV.

Who can participate?
Patients aged 15 or over with severe AAV

What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to either receive plasma exchange (a method of rapidly removing the abnormal antibodies), or to not receive plasma exchange. Participants are also randomly allocated to receive either a standard dose of steroids or a low-dose scheme which is predicted to reduce treatment-related toxicity.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
By addressing these problems we hope to significantly improve patient survival and reduce the frequency of kidney failure in patients with AAV.

Where is the study run from?
Addenbrooke's Hospital (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
November 2009 to July 2018

Who is funding the study?
Health Technology Assessment Programme (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Dr David Jayne
dj106@cam.ac.uk

Contact information

Dr David Jayne
Scientific

Addenbrooke's Hospital
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)1223 256 039
Email dj106@cam.ac.uk

Study information

Study designTwo-by-two factorial design randomised controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titlePlasma exchange and glucocorticoid dosing in the treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody associated vasculitis: an international randomised controlled trial
Study acronymPEXIVAS
Study objectivesThis is a two-by-two factorial design randomised controlled trial and has two primary hypotheses:
1. Plasma exchange in addition to immunosuppressive therapy and glucocorticoids will reduce death and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) compared to immunosuppression and glucocorticoids alone in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis
2. A reduced dose glucocorticoids regimen will be non-inferior to a standard regimen with respect to death and ESRD in patients with ANCA associated vasculitis

More details can be found at: http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/hta/085604
Protocol can be found at: http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/53012/PRO-08-56-04.pdf
Ethics approval(s)Ethics Board: NRES Committee London – Harrow, 30/10/2009, Ref: 09/H0709/56
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedAnti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody associated vasculitis (AAV) with nephritis or lung haemorrhage
Intervention1. Plasma exchange (seven exchanges of human albumin at a dose of 60 ml/kg over 14 days) as an adjunctive therapy to standard immunosuppression treatment and glucocorticoids
2. A reduced dose glucocorticoid tapering regimen compared to a standard dose glucocorticoid tapering regimen
Intervention typeMixed
Primary outcome measureDeath or end-stage renal disease. Timepoint for all analyses is the common closeout date (2 years after the last patient is enrolled).
Secondary outcome measuresCurrent secondary outcome measures, as of 21/03/2018:
1. Sustained remission will be analyzed by comparing the difference in proportions (and associated 95% confidence intervals) of patients that achieve a sustained remission in each treatment group.
2. Death and ESRD will be analyzed separately in an identical manner to the composite primary endpoint.
3. Safety analyses will be performed by assessing the 95% confidence interval of the rate difference of serious adverse events between treatment groups.
4. The rate of serious infections will be assessing the 95% confidence interval of the rate difference between the treatment groups both for the first year and at trial end.
5. Health-related quality of life using the SF-36 Physical Composite, Mental Composite and EQ-5D Index Score.
Patients were seen at Week 26, Week 52 and then every 6 months until study end.

Previous secondary outcome measures:
1. Disease activity (measured with the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score 2003)
2. Health related quality of life (measured with the EuroQoL EQ5D index score and 36-item Short Form Health Survey)
3. Serious adverse events

Timepoint for all analyses is the common closeout date (2 years after the last patient is enrolled).
Overall study start date01/11/2009
Completion date31/07/2018

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants700
Total final enrolment704
Key inclusion criteria1. New or previous clinical diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis, or microscopic polyangiitis consistent with the Chapel-Hill consensus definitions
2. Positive test for proteinase 3-ANCA or myeloperoxidase-ANCA
3. Severe vasculitis defined by at least one of the following:
3.1. Renal involvement, characterised by:
3.1.1. Renal biopsy demonstrating focal necrotising glomerulonephritis or active urine sediment demonstrating glomerular haematuria/red cell casts and proteinuria, and
3.1.2. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) less than 50 ml/min/1.73 m2), or
3.2. Pulmonary haemorrhage due to active vasculitis (defined by a compatible chest x-ray or computed tomography [CT] scan (diffuse pulmonary infiltrates), and
3.3. The absence of an alternative explanation for all pulmonary infiltrates (i.e. volume overload or pulmonary infection), and
3.4. At least one of the following:
3.4.1. Evidence of alveolar haemorrhage on bronchoscopic examination or increasingly bloody returns with bronchoalveolar lavage
3.4.2. Observed haemoptysis
3.4.3. Unexplained anaemia (less than 10 g/dl) or documented drop in haemoglobin (greater than 1 g/dl)
3.4.4. An increased diffusing capacity of carbon dioxide
4. Provision of informed consent by patient or a surrogate decision maker
5. Aged greater than or equal to 15 years, either sex
Key exclusion criteria1. A diagnosis of vasculitis other than Wegener's granulomatosis or microscopic polyangiitis
2. Positive anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody test or renal biopsy demonstrating linear glomerular immunoglobulin deposition
3. Receipt of dialysis for greater than 21 days immediately prior to randomisation or prior renal transplant
4. Aged less than 15 years (aged less than 18 years at centres that do not treat paediatric patients)
5. Pregnancy
6. Treatment with greater than 1 intravenous (IV) dose of cyclophosphamide and/or greater than 14 days of oral cyclophosphamide and/or greater than 14 days of prednisone/prednisolone (greater than 30 mg/day) and/or greater than 1 dose of rituximab within the 28 days immediately prior to randomisation
7. A comorbidity that, in the opinion of the investigator, precludes the use of cyclophosphamide, glucocorticoids, or plasma exchange or absolutely mandates the use of plasma exchange

Added 30/10/2019:
8. Plasma exchange in 3 months prior to randomization
Date of first enrolment30/09/2016
Date of final enrolment31/07/2017

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • England
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America

Study participating centre

Addenbrooke's Hospital
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UK)
Hospital/treatment centre

Box 277
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
England
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)1223 596377
Email louise.stockley@addenbrookes.nhs.uk
Website http://www.cuh.org.uk/research/research_contacts.html
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/04v54gj93

Funders

Funder type

Government

Health Technology Assessment Programme
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme, HTA
Location
United Kingdom
Medical Research Council (MRC) (UK) (ref: 86772)
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
Medical Research Council (United Kingdom), UK Medical Research Council, MRC
Location
United Kingdom
Food and Drug Administration (USA) and National Institutes of Health (USA) (ref: 1 R01 FD003516-01)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date31/05/2020
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryData sharing statement to be made available at a later date
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a high-impact peer-reviewed journal.

2018 results presented at 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting: https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/the-effects-of-plasma-exchange-and-reduced-dose-glucocorticoids-during-remission-induction-for-treatment-of-severe-anca-associated-vasculitis/ [added 14/05/2019]
IPD sharing planThe data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol article protocol 14/03/2013 Yes No
Results article results 13/02/2020 14/02/2020 Yes No
Results article 01/09/2022 27/09/2022 Yes No
HRA research summary 28/06/2023 No No

Editorial Notes

27/09/2022: Publication reference added.
14/02/2020: Publication reference added.
13/11/2019: The intention to publish date was changed from 01/12/2017 to 31/05/2020.
30/10/2019: The exclusion criteria were updated.
14/05/2019: Publication reference and total final enrolment added.
21/03/2018: Secondary outcome measures were updated.
15/03/2018: The following changes were made:
1. The target number was changed from 500 to 700
2. The recruitment end date was updated from 30/09/2016 to 31/07/2017.
3. Telephone number for primary contact was updated.
4. Sponsor email address was changed from julie.uttridge@addenbrookes.nhs.uk to louise.stockley@addenbrookes.nhs.uk
13/11/2017: The recruitment end date has been updated from 01/11/2016 to 30/09/2016. The overall trial end date has been updated from 01/11/2016 to 31/07/2018. The participant level data sharing statement has been added.
07/07/2016: Plain English summary added.