E.1 Medical condition or disease under investigation |
E.1.1 | Medical condition(s) being investigated |
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
The overall aim with this project is to investigate central pain mechanisms in RA and healthy controls, and in RA how these are influenced by autonomic neural regulation and TNF-blockade with Remicade. |
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MedDRA Classification |
E.1.2 Medical condition or disease under investigation |
E.1.2 | Version | 9.1 |
E.1.2 | Level | LLT |
E.1.2 | Classification code | 10039073 |
E.1.2 | Term | Rheumatoid arthritis |
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E.1.2 Medical condition or disease under investigation |
E.1.2 | Version | 9.1 |
E.1.2 | Level | LLT |
E.1.2 | Classification code | 10060016 |
E.1.2 | Term | Alpha tumor necrosis factor |
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E.1.2 Medical condition or disease under investigation |
E.1.2 | Version | 9.1 |
E.1.2 | Level | LLT |
E.1.2 | Classification code | 10029817 |
E.1.2 | Term | Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging brain |
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E.1.2 Medical condition or disease under investigation |
E.1.2 | Version | 9.1 |
E.1.2 | Level | LLT |
E.1.2 | Classification code | 10053689 |
E.1.2 | Term | Cardiovascular autonomic function test |
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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 |
The overall aim with this project is to investigate central pain mechanisms in RA and helathy controls, and in RA how these mechanisms are influenced by TNF-blockade with Remicade. |
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E.2.2 | Secondary objectives of the trial |
To investigate effects of Remicade on peripheral pain, fatigue and autonomic function in RA |
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E.2.3 | Trial contains a sub-study | No |
E.3 | Principal inclusion criteria |
Rheumatoid arthritis: Only female patients will be included, this is because it is needed to minimize inter-individual differences in pain perception, known to be significantly dependent on gender (Soetano et al. Are there gender differences in pain perception? J Neurosci Nurse 2006;38:172-176; Garcia et al. Gender differences in pressure pain threshold in a repeated measures assessment. Psychol Health Med 2007;12:567-579). Age 20-50. Fulfilling ACR criteria for RA. The responsible Rheumatologist have found need for antirheumatic treatment with Remicade.
Healthy controls: Females. Age 20-50. |
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E.4 | Principal exclusion criteria |
RA: Males (se explanation under E.3). Fulfilling ACR criteria for fibromyalgia. left-handness (for fMRI). Significant heart disease. Current treatment with antidepressive drugs. Contraindications for Remicade.
Healthy controls: Males. Fulfilling ACR criteria for RA or fibromyalgia. Recurrent pain problems (>40 mm on VAS scale for pain). Left-handness (for fMRI). Significant heart disease. Current treatment with antidepressive drugs. Neurological disease. Diabetes Mellitus. |
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E.5 End points |
E.5.1 | Primary end point(s) |
Not applicable as this is not a trial of a new drug and the goal is to investigate mechanisms of pain processing before and after Remicade administration. The resason for using placebo-control in the study is to minimize inter-individual differences that can greatly affect the fMRI results and make conclusions difficult.
Brief description of the protocol: RA patients with insufficient disease control on MTX will be randomized into two groups: One will receive Remicade at baseline and after 2 weeks as usual whereas the other group will receive placebo infusions at baseline and after 2 weeks. At baseline ( pat and controls) and after 4 weeks (patients only) of treatment/placebo patients and healthy controls will undergo clinical evaluation with assessment of DAS28 and other disease parameters, blood sampling, fMRI with pain stimuli in a predefined scheme, pain assessments, algometry for measurement of peripheral pain and heart rate variability for measurement of autonomic activity.
Clinical response and pain effects of Remicade will be evaluated but this is not the primary goal with the study. |
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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 | No |
E.6.5 | Efficacy | No |
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 | Yes |
E.6.13.1 | Other scope of the trial description |
Invesitgate mechanisms of pain processing during Remicade treatment |
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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 | No |
E.7.1.3.1 | Other trial type description | |
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 | No |
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
| Yes |
E.8.4 | The trial involves multiple sites in the Member State concerned | No |
E.8.5 | The trial involves multiple Member States | No |
E.8.6 Trial involving sites outside the EEA |
E.8.6.1 | Trial being conducted both within and outside the EEA | No |
E.8.6.2 | Trial being conducted completely outside of the EEA | Information not present in EudraCT |
E.8.7 | Trial has a data monitoring committee | Yes |
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 | 2 |
E.8.9.1 | In the Member State concerned months | 0 |
E.8.9.1 | In the Member State concerned days | 0 |