Progesterone in recurrent miscarriages (PROMISE) study

ISRCTN ISRCTN92644181
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN92644181
Secondary identifying numbers HTA 08/38/01
Submission date
10/03/2009
Registration date
17/03/2009
Last edited
31/05/2016
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Pregnancy and Childbirth
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims
This study was undertaken to test whether giving the hormone progesterone to pregnant women with a history of repeated unexplained early pregnancy losses could increase the number of pregnancies leading to live births after at least 24 weeks of gestation.

Who can participate?
Women aged 18-39 with unexplained recurrent miscarriages (three or more consecutive or non-consecutive first trimester miscarriages). A pregnancy loss is considered to be unexplained if conditions known to increase the risk of miscarriage are absent.

What does the study involve?
Participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups: one group received progesterone twice daily as vaginal pessaries and the other group received a placebo (dummy) with an identical appearance, from soon after a positive urinary pregnancy test, and no later than 6 weeks of pregnancy, until 12 completed weeks of pregnancy (or earlier if the pregnancy ended before 12 weeks).

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There is substantial evidence from IVF practice that progesterone supplementation is safe to the mother and fetus at the proposed dose. Moreover, recent studies of vaginal progesterone in the context of prevention of preterm birth have not shown any evidence of short-term safety concerns in the participants.

Where is the study run from?
45 hospitals in the UK and the Netherlands

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
From May 2009 to September 2014

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

Who is the main contact?
1. Dr Arri Coomarasamy (a.coomarasamy@bham.ac.uk)
2. Dr Rajendra Rai (r.rai@imperial.ac.uk)

Study website

Contact information

Dr Arri Coomarasamy
Scientific

3rd Floor, Academic Department
Birmingham Women's Hospital
Metchley Park Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TG
United Kingdom

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0002-3261-9807
Phone +44 (0)121 623 6835
Email a.coomarasamy@bham.ac.uk
Dr Rajendra Rai
Scientific

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
St Mary's Hospital
Mint Wing
South Wharf Road
London
W2 1PG
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)207 886 2475
Email r.rai@imperial.ac.uk

Study information

Study designRandomised double-blind placebo-controlled multi-centre 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 titleFirst trimester progesterone therapy in women with a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriages: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled multi-centre trial (The PROMISE [PROgesterone in recurrent MIScarriagE] Trial)
Study acronymPROMISE
Study hypothesis1. In women with unexplained recurrent miscarriages, progesterone (400 mg pessaries, twice daily), started soon as possible after a positive pregnancy test (and no later than 6 weeks gestation) and continued to 12 weeks of gestation, compared to placebo, increases live births beyond 24 completed weeks by at least 10% (principal objective)
2. Progesterone improves secondary outcomes such as gestation at delivery, on-going pregnancy at 12 weeks, survival at 28 days of neonatal life
3. Progesterone, compared to placebo, does not incur substantial adverse effects to the mother or the neonate
4 Explore differential or subgroup effects of progesterone in prognostic subgroups
5. Perform an economic evaluation for cost-effectiveness

More details can be found at http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/hta/083801
Protocol can be found at http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/52911/PRO-08-38-01.pdf
Ethics approval(s)REC: West Midlands Research Ethics Committee, 19/10/2009, ref: 09/H1208/44
ConditionUnexplained recurrent miscarriages
InterventionIntervention group: Progesterone pessaries (400 mg twice daily) started soon as possible after a positive pregnancy test (and no later than 6 weeks gestation) and continued to 12 weeks of gestation

Control group: Placebo

Total duration of follow-up per participant: 42 weeks
Intervention typeDrug
Pharmaceutical study type(s)
PhaseNot Applicable
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)Progesterone
Primary outcome measureLive births beyond 24 weeks
Secondary outcome measures1. Gestation at delivery
2. Clinical pregnancy at 6-8 weeks
3. Ongoing pregnancy at 12 weeks (range 11-13 weeks)
4. Miscarriage rate
5. Survival at 28 days of neonatal life
6. Congenital abnormalities with specific examination for genital anomalies
7. Adverse events
Overall study start date01/05/2009
Overall study end date01/09/2014

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
Upper age limit39 Years
SexFemale
Target number of participants790
Participant inclusion criteria1. Women with unexplained recurrent miscarriages (3 or more consecutive first trimester miscarriages)
2. Age 18-39 years at randomisation (likelihood of miscarriages due to chromosomal aberrations is higher in older women; such miscarriages are unlikely to be prevented by progesterone therapy)
3. Spontaneous conception (as confirmed by urinary pregnancy tests)
4. Willing and able to give informed consent
Participant exclusion criteria1. Inability to conceive spontaneously within 1 year of recruitment
2. Antiphospholipid syndrome (lupus anticoagulant and/or anticardiolipin antibodies [IgG or IgM]); other recognised thrombophilic conditions (testing according to usual clinic practice)
3. Intrauterine abnormalities (as assessed by ultrasound, hysterosonography, hysterosalpingogram, or hysteroscopy)
4. Fibroids distorting uterine cavity
5. Abnormal parental karyotype
6. Other identifiable causes of recurrent miscarriages (tests initiated only if clinically indicated) e.g., diabetes, thyroid disease and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Recruitment start date01/06/2010
Recruitment end date01/10/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Netherlands
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

45 hospitals in the UK and the Netherlands
-

Sponsor information

Imperial College London (UK)
University/education

Clinical Research Governance Office
GO2
Sir Alexander Fleming Building
Exhibition Road
London
SW7 2AZ
England
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)20 7594 1188
Email gary.roper@imperial.ac.uk
Website http://www.imperial.ac.uk
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/041kmwe10

Funders

Funder type

Government

Health Technology Assessment Programme
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme, HTA
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date01/11/2015
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot expected to be made available
Publication and dissemination planPublication in the UK NIHR HTA library is anticipated before the end of 2015. Other publications may be produced but are not yet confirmed.
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 26/11/2015 Yes No
Results article results 01/05/2016 Yes No
HRA research summary 28/06/2023 No No

Editorial Notes

31/05/2016: Publication reference added.

21/05/2015: the overall trial end date was changed from 01/05/2012 to 01/09/2014.