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Clinical Trial Summary

Erythema Nodosum Leprosum (ENL) is a painful, debilitating complication of leprosy. Patients often require high doses of corticosteroids for prolonged periods. Thalidomide is expensive and not available in most countries. The use of corticosteroids for long periods is associated with adverse effects and mortality. It is a priority to identify alternative agents to treat ENL. Methotrexate (MTX) is a cheap, widely used medication which has been reported to be effective in ENL resistant to steroids and thalidomide.


Clinical Trial Description

This is a double blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the efficacy of MTX for managing ENL. Patients diagnosed with moderate or severe ENL at ENLIST Group centres in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia and Nepal will be randomly allocated to receive a 15 or 20 mg of oral MTX each week for 48 weeks and prednisolone 40 mg per day reducing to zero over 20 weeks. The control group will receive an identical prednisolone scheme. The participants will be stratified into two groups, those with acute ENL, those with chronic/recurrent ENL. The interventions for both populations are the same, although analysed separately. Adverse effects (AE) will be closely monitored clinically and using laboratory tests. Participants will receive folic acid, 5mg daily for 52 weeks except on the day of MTX to prevent AEs, and nausea will be managed with ondansetron. ;


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT03775460
Study type Interventional
Source London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Contact Barbara de Barros, M.D
Phone +44(0)2079272316
Email barbara.de-barros@lshtm.ac.uk
Status Recruiting
Phase N/A
Start date January 15, 2023
Completion date December 1, 2024

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT04822909 - A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Apremilast in Patients of Chronic and Recurrent Erythema Nodosum Leprosum Phase 4
Recruiting NCT03807362 - CC-11050 Trial in Nepalese Patients With Erythema Nodosum Leprosum Phase 2
Not yet recruiting NCT00406861 - Montelukast in ENL Reaction N/A