Is neuromodulation with botulinum toxin type A an alternative treatment for chronic anal fissure?

ISRCTN ISRCTN90354265
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN90354265
EudraCT/CTIS number 2017-001216-11
Secondary identifying numbers FISAN-BOT-2017-01
Submission date
14/02/2024
Registration date
16/02/2024
Last edited
02/10/2024
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Digestive System
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
An anal fissure (AF) is a tear in the skin of the anal canal and is the most common cause of pain during defecation. Whereas acute AF is usually superficial and tends to spontaneously resolve, chronic AF lasts for more than 6 weeks and is characterized by exposed internal anal sphincter (IAS) muscle, anal papilla and a skin tag or pile. Botulinum toxin type A (BT) local injection is considered when topical treatment fails. BT reduces anal sphincter tone at rest and reduces pain. The effects begin 3 to 4 days after injection and fade gradually during the third or fourth month. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to evaluate the healing rate of AF with incobotulinumtoxinA (incoBoNT/A) at 2 years.

Who can participate?
Patients older than 18 years with a clinical AF diagnosis for over 2 months who had not responded to previous treatments of dietary and behavioral changes, painkillers, and local treatment with diltiazem or trinitrate glyceryl

What does the study involve?
Patients were treated with local incoBoNT/A injection with a follow-up of 24 months. Healing and improvement rates, pain perception, incontinence, quality of life and safety were assessed.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The possible benefits are healing, clinical improvement and pain reduction. The risks are the possible adverse effects associated with the use of botulinum toxin, such as constipation with increased pain after bowel movements, hyperemia (increased blood flow), inflammatory polyps (growths), subfissural fistulas (abnormal opening in the skin near the anus), thrombosis (blood clots) and haematoma (collection of blood).

Where is the study run from?
Nuestra Señora del Prado Hospital (Spain)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
February 2017 to June 2023

Who is funding the study?
The data analysis and medical writing were supported by unrestricted funding from Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH (Germany)

Who is the main contact?
Dra. A. Teresa Calderón Duque, ttcd01@gmail.com

Contact information

Dr Teresa Calderón
Public, Scientific, Principal Investigator

Nuestra Señora del Prado Hospital
Talavera de la Reina, Toledo
45600
Spain

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0001-7428-0314
Phone +34 (0)652928109
Email teresac@sescam.jccm.es

Study information

Study designProspective open-label single-arm single-center study
Primary study designObservational
Secondary study designCohort study
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a participant information sheet
Scientific titleUtility of botulinum toxin type A in the treatment of chronic anal fissure
Study objectivesTo assess the cure rate of chronic anal fissure with botulinum toxin at 2-year follow-up.
Ethics approval(s)

Approved 21/04/2017, Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Talavera de la Reina Integrated Health Area (Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado. Ctra. Nacional V, km 114, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, 45600, Spain; +34 (0)925803600 (Ext: 86 316); varroyo@sescam.org), ref: 11/2017

Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedChronic anal fissure
InterventionPatients were treated with local incoBoNT/A injection to heal anal fissure with a follow-up of 24 months at the Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado (Talavera de la Reina, Spain)

A vial of 50 U of BT free from complexing proteins (IncoBoNT/A; Xeomin®, Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH) was diluted in 1.25 ml normal saline, and three syringes were filled with 0.4 ml each (16 U). Patients were placed in the lithotomy position and pretreated with topical local anesthesia (prilocaine/lidocaine cream 25 mg/g each). A total of 48 U incoBoNT/A was injected per patient at three sites (16 U each): both laterals and the posterior intersphincteric groove. After injection, patients were discharged after verifying that there were no complications.
Intervention typeProcedure/Surgery
Primary outcome measureHealing rate at 2 years. Healing was defined as scarred AF and without symptoms; improvement was considered when the fissure persisted without symptoms; failure presented persistent fissure and symptoms. Patients who required a surgical approach were considered as a failure. Healing/improvement was assessed at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years post-injection.
Secondary outcome measures1. Anal manometry assessment of the internal anal sphincter (IAS) to measure anal resting pressure, voluntary squeeze pressure and pressure during the Valsalva maneuver. IAS pressures were measured using the THD® Anopress system (mmHg) at baseline and at 1 and 3 months post-injection.
2. Pain perception was measured using a pain visual analog scale (VAS) (scoring between 0 [no pain] and 10 [severe pain]) at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years post-injection. Pain perception was also measured at 1 week.
3. Incontinence was measured using the Wexner score (scoring between 0 [no incontinence] and 20 [total incontinence]) at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years post-injection
4. Quality of life was assessed with the SF-36 questionnaire (scoring between 0 [worst health status] and 100 [best health status]) at baseline and 3 months post-injection
Overall study start date01/02/2017
Completion date01/06/2023

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants55
Total final enrolment49
Key inclusion criteria1. Aged over 18 years
2. Clinical anal fissure diagnosis for over 2 months that had not responded to previous treatments consisting of dietary and behavioral modifications, analgesics, and local treatment with calcium channel blocker (diltiazem 2%) or nitrates (trinitrate glyceryl 0.4%)
Key exclusion criteria1. Non-idiopathic anal fissures
2. Previously untreated patients
3. BT contraindication such as miastenia gravis, Eaton-Lambert syndrome, pregnancy, and acetylcholine deficiency
Date of first enrolment28/09/2017
Date of final enrolment07/03/2022

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Spain

Study participating centre

Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado
Ctra. Nacional V, km 114
Talavera de la Reina, Toledo
45600
Spain

Sponsor information

Hospital General Nuestra Señora del Prado
Hospital/treatment centre

-
Talavera de la Reina, Toledo
45600
Spain

Phone +34 (0)925803600
Email ttcd01@gmail.com
Website http://www.areasaludtalavera.es/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/00k5pj069

Funders

Funder type

Other

Investigator initiated and funded

No information available

Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date01/06/2024
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryAvailable on request
Publication and dissemination planOnce they have the results of the study, the researchers intend to publish an article with the results and present them at national congresses.
IPD sharing planThe datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request (Teresa Calderón Duque, ttcd01@gmail.com).
The type of data that will be shared: All the individual participant data collected during the trial, after deidentification.
Dates of availability: Immediately after publication.
Whether consent from participants was required and obtained: All study participants provided informed consent.
Comments on data anonymization: Information concerning the identity of patients will be kept confidential for all purposes. The identity of the patients will not be disclosed or divulged. Patient data collected in the investigator's brochure during the study should be documented in an anonymous and dissociated manner, linked to a code (case number) so that only the investigator can associate such data with an identified or identifiable clinical history. In the data collection forms, patients will be identified by a numerical code. The database generated by the study will not contain any identification of the patient, other than the numerical code by which it will not be possible to reveal the patient's identity.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article 30/09/2024 02/10/2024 Yes No

Editorial Notes

02/10/2024: Publication reference added.
14/02/2024: Study's existence confirmed by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Talavera de la Reina Integrated Health Area.