E.1 Medical condition or disease under investigation |
E.1.1 | Medical condition(s) being investigated |
Chronic Chondrocalcinosis |
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MedDRA Classification |
E.1.3 | Condition being studied is a rare disease | No |
E.2 Objective of the trial |
E.2.1 | Main objective of the trial |
There is currently no specific medication to slow or prevent progression of chronic chondrocalcinosis, and no randomized trials have established the efficacy of antirheumatic therapies in this condition. The primary objective will be to determine the efficacy and safety of methotrexate, a well tolerated anti-rheumatic drug prescribed for other rheumatic diseases. Outcomes measured will include, the level of disease activity, pain, and number of arthritis flares reported. Patients will be randomized to receive either methotrexate or placebo for three months, followed by a washout period of two months. The crossover treatment will then be prescribed for a futher three months. |
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E.2.2 | Secondary objectives of the trial |
The secondary outcomes will include; Patients global assessment of disease activity The function of the targeted joints Erythrocyte sedimentation rate Serologic markers of inflammation Duration of morning stiffness Number of tender and swollen joints Number of Analgesic tablets taken during the course of the trial |
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E.2.3 | Trial contains a sub-study | No |
E.3 | Principal inclusion criteria |
Patients recruited to participate in this trial will satisfy the following criteria;
Patients must have a definite diagnosis of Crystal Pyrophosphate Dihydrate (CPPD) disease using the Mc Carty diagnostic criteria.
Patients who have had an unsatisfactory response to at least one non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID) or low dose steroid.
Contraindications to the use of NSAID and glucocorticoid medication
Recurrent mono or oligoarthritis (pseudogout) (experiencing at least three flares in 6 months) or persistent polyarthritis |
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E.4 | Principal exclusion criteria |
Patients will be excluded from study participation for the following reasons;
Any contraindication to Methotrexate (hepatic failure, alcohol consumption, severe renal failure, haematological diseases, or acute infection
A diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Connective Tissue Disease or Gout.
Literacy difficulties which will compromise their ability to fill out the study questionnaires
Patients whose ability to give informed consent may be compromised |
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E.5 End points |
E.5.1 | Primary end point(s) |
No specific outcome measures have been validated for CPPD deposition disease. Instruments developed and validated for other rheumatic diseases will be utilized. The clinical presentation of complicated CPPD is similar to other common rheumatic diseases such as gout (hence the term “pseudogout”) or polyarthritis, which should make the use of outcome measures for these diseases good instruments for chondrocalcinosis as well. Patients level of disease activity will be measured using the DAS 44. This is a composite outcome measure which includes the numbe of swollen joints, the number of tender joints, and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Disease activity: The DAS44 is a validated assessment tool of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis that has been used in many other chronic arthritides.
The computation of the Disease Activity score with 44 joints: (DAS44)(10): DAS44 = 0.54â√(Tender count) + 0.065â(Swollen count) + 0.33âln(ESR) + 0.007â(patient assessment)·
The number of tender and swollen joints will be assessed by the physicians at the beginning and at the end of each treatment period during the medical examination.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) will be measured monthly. General health will be evaluated using a Lickert scale ranging from 0 to 10 by the physician.
Acute arthritis flares: Arthritis flares (“pseudogout flares”) are an important outcome as these are one the most easily recognized concerns of patients. However, flares have not yet been well defined in the arthritis literature (11). Therefore, the number of arthritis flares reported by patients will be recorded, with patients making the judgement as to what is or is not a ‘flare’ or an ‘attack’.
Pain: Pain will be pain measured using a visual analog scale (VAS) of the target joints.
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E.6 and E.7 Scope of the trial |
E.6 | Scope of the trial |
E.6.1 | Diagnosis | No |
E.6.2 | Prophylaxis | No |
E.6.3 | Therapy | Yes |
E.6.4 | Safety | Yes |
E.6.5 | Efficacy | Yes |
E.6.6 | Pharmacokinetic | No |
E.6.7 | Pharmacodynamic | No |
E.6.8 | Bioequivalence | No |
E.6.9 | Dose response | No |
E.6.10 | Pharmacogenetic | No |
E.6.11 | Pharmacogenomic | No |
E.6.12 | Pharmacoeconomic | No |
E.6.13 | Others | No |
E.7 | Trial type and phase |
E.7.1 | Human pharmacology (Phase I) | No |
E.7.1.1 | First administration to humans | No |
E.7.1.2 | Bioequivalence study | No |
E.7.1.3 | Other | Yes |
E.7.1.3.1 | Other trial type description |
Use of Metotrexate for a new indication |
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E.7.2 | Therapeutic exploratory (Phase II) | No |
E.7.3 | Therapeutic confirmatory (Phase III) | No |
E.7.4 | Therapeutic use (Phase IV) | Yes |
E.8 Design of the trial |
E.8.1 | Controlled | Yes |
E.8.1.1 | Randomised | Yes |
E.8.1.2 | Open | No |
E.8.1.3 | Single blind | No |
E.8.1.4 | Double blind | Yes |
E.8.1.5 | Parallel group | No |
E.8.1.6 | Cross over | Yes |
E.8.1.7 | Other | No |
E.8.2 | Comparator of controlled trial |
E.8.2.1 | Other medicinal product(s) | No |
E.8.2.2 | Placebo | Yes |
E.8.2.3 | Other | No |
E.8.3 |
The trial involves single site in the Member State concerned
| No |
E.8.4 | The trial involves multiple sites in the Member State concerned | Yes |
E.8.4.1 | Number of sites anticipated in Member State concerned | 1 |
E.8.5 | The trial involves multiple Member States | Yes |
E.8.5.1 | Number of sites anticipated in the EEA | 10 |
E.8.6 Trial involving sites outside the EEA |
E.8.6.1 | Trial being conducted both within and outside the EEA | Yes |
E.8.6.2 | Trial being conducted completely outside of the EEA | Information not present in EudraCT |
E.8.6.3 | If E.8.6.1 or E.8.6.2 are Yes, specify the regions in which trial sites are planned |
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E.8.7 | Trial has a data monitoring committee | Information not present in EudraCT |
E.8.8 |
Definition of the end of the trial and justification where it is not the last
visit of the last subject undergoing the trial
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E.8.9 Initial estimate of the duration of the trial |
E.8.9.1 | In the Member State concerned years | 3 |
E.8.9.1 | In the Member State concerned months | 0 |
E.8.9.1 | In the Member State concerned days | 0 |
E.8.9.2 | In all countries concerned by the trial years | 3 |
E.8.9.2 | In all countries concerned by the trial months | 0 |
E.8.9.2 | In all countries concerned by the trial days | 0 |