Acyclovir for Herpes Infections Involving the Central Nervous System in Neonates

Herpes Simplex Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Placebo-Controlled Phase III Evaluation of Suppressive Therapy With Oral Acyclovir Suspension Following Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus Infections Involving the Central Nervous System

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00031460
• Other study ID #: 97-007
• Secondary ID: CASG 103N01AI300
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• First received: March 6, 2002
• Last updated: May 10, 2012
• Start date: December 1997
• Est. completion date: April 2008

Study information

• Verified date: October 2009
• Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Canada: Ethics Review CommitteeUnited States: Federal GovernmentUnited States: Food and Drug AdministrationUnited States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to test whether long term treatment with acyclovir given orally (by mouth) improves the outcome for infants with herpes simplex virus infection of the brain or spinal cord (known as the central nervous system [CNS]). Infants with herpes viral infection of the CNS that has or has not spread to other parts of the body will be enrolled in this study. All participants will receive treatment in a hospital for 21 days with acyclovir, given intravenously (by a needle inserted into a vein). Participants will then be divided into two groups: those with CNS disease that has or has not spread to the skin, and those whose viral infection has spread and involves the CNS. Both groups will be randomly assigned to receive either oral acyclovir or placebo (inactive substance) for 6 months. Infants in the US and Canada will participate for 5 years. A physical exam, hearing exam, eye exam, and an evaluation of the nervous system will be performed throughout the study.

Description:

Neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease complicates approximately 1 in every 3,000 deliveries in the United States, resulting in an estimated 1, 500 cases annually in this country. HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections in the neonate can manifest as: disseminated disease; central nervous system (CNS) disease; or disease limited to the skin, eyes, and mouth (SEM disease). This study will evaluate the efficacy of long term suppressive therapy with oral acyclovir in infants with CNS disease, with or without evidence of dissemination to other organs (including the skin). It will determine if suppressive oral acyclovir therapy improves neurologic outcome in infants following HSV disease with CNS involvement and address the significance of a positive cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result when all other CSF parameters either remain normal or show improvement. Comparisons will be made between groups with respect to post-randomization time to first positive CSF PCR result during the initial 12 months of life, and results will be correlated with clinical neurological assessments. It will determine if continuous administration of oral acyclovir suspension suppresses recurrent skin lesions in infants following HSV disease with CNS involvement, and it will confirm the safety of long-term administration of oral acyclovir therapy in a cohort of infants with HSV disease with CNS involvement. Finally, the effects of suppressive acyclovir therapy on issues of pharmacoeconomics and family infrastructure will be assessed and quantitated. Infants with CNS disease (with or without evidence of viral dissemination to other organs, such as the skin, liver, and lungs) will qualify for this study. Following a 21 day course of treatment with intravenous (IV) acyclovir, infants with CNS disease, with or without cutaneous involvement, will be randomized to either continuous oral acyclovir or placebo (CNS Sub-Study). Similarly, infants with disseminated disease with CNS involvement will be randomized to either continuous oral acyclovir or placebo (Disseminated with CNS Involvement Sub-Study). The subset of infants with CNS disease (with or without dissemination) who do not clear their acute infection in 21 days of IV acyclovir therapy will be eligible for enrollment in a Pilot Sub-Study. This group is expected to be of insufficient number to be able to obtain statistical significance for establishing efficacy. Per protocol amendment dated 19-Nov-1998, 66 subjects will be recruited into each sub-study. Subjects will begin oral drug therapy 8 hours after the final IV acyclovir dose and oral drug therapy will be administered for 6 months. Whole blood (1.0 cubic centimeter) will be obtained at study enrollment and at completion of IV antiviral therapy for HSV PCR analysis, per protocol amendment dated 4-May-1998. This amendment replaces the obtaining of serum for HSV PCR analysis. In the event that whole blood is not available, serum will be provided instead. All children will be followed at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months of age. Physical examination, hearing assessment, and retinal examination will be performed at each follow-up visit. Standardized neurological evaluations will be performed at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. The primary study endpoint will evaluate neurological impairment at 12 months of life. The secondary endpoints will evaluate post-randomization detection of HSV DNA in CSF by PCR at any time during the initial 12 months of life and 2 or fewer episodes post-randomization of cutaneous recurrence of HSV disease during the initial 12 months of life.

Other known NCT identifiers

• NCT00000934

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 46
• Est. completion date: April 2008
• Est. primary completion date: February 2008
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: N/A to 28 Days

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Viral Culture:

1. If cutaneous lesions are present, then isolation of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)-1 or HSV-2 by viral culture from any site (skin, oropharynx, cerebral spinal fluid [CSF], urine, etc.) will be required for study entry.

2. If cutaneous lesions are not present, then viral isolation by culture is adequate for study entry but is not required. In the case of no cutaneous lesions and negative viral cultures, however, the CSF polymerase chain reaction (PCR) must be positive.

3. Additional sites from which HSV culture will be attempted include conjunctivae, oropharynx, blood buffy coat, urine, and CSF.

• Evidence for central nervous system (CNS) HSV disease during the acute illness, including one or more of the following:

1. Abnormal CSF indices for term infants: greater than 22 white blood cells (WBCs)/mm^3 and protein greater than 115mg/dl.

2. Abnormal CSF indices for preterm infants: greater than 25 WBCs/mm^3 and protein greater than 220 mg/dl.

3. Abnormal neuroimaging study (computed tomography [CT] with contrast, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] with gadolinium, or head ultrasound) [NOTE: CT with contrast is the preferred imaging study].

4. Abnormal electroencephalography (EEG), if performed (NOTE: EEG is suggested for the evaluation of infants with HSV disease but is not required for this study].

5. Positive CSF PCR for HSV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) [NOTE: If no cutaneous lesions are present and all viral cultures are negative, the CSF PCR must be positive. If lesions are present and are culture-positive, abnormal CNS neurodiagnostic studies or abnormal CSF indices are sufficient for study entry].

• Negative CSF PCR result within 48 hours prior to completion of intravenous acyclovir therapy.

• Less than or equal to 28 days of age at the time of initial presentation with CNS disease.

• Birth weight greater than or equal to 800 grams.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Infants with either a grade 3 or grade 4 intraventricular hemorrhage (IHV) prior to study enrollment.

• Breast feeding infants whose mothers are taking acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famciclovir for greater than 120 hours (greater than 5 days). If at any point following enrollment the mother takes these antiviral drugs for greater than 120 hours (greater than 5 days), she will be asked to refrain from breast feeding while taking the drug.

• Infants known to be born to women who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive (but HIV testing is not required for study entry). These infants are at known risk of acquiring HIV, which would alter their immune response to other infections, including herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. Additionally, they may be receiving antiretroviral and/or antiviral drugs during the time in which the study of suppressive oral acyclovir is being conducted. As such, they will be excluded if the mother's positive HIV status is known at the time of evaluation for study inclusion. If at any point following enrollment it is learned that an infant is HIV positive, however, he/she will be continued on the study protocol.

• Infants with HSV infection limited to the skin, eyes, or mouth (SEM). Patients with SEM HSV infection will be considered for enrollment and randomization in the ongoing Collaborative Antiviral Study Group (CASG) evaluation of oral suppressive acyclovir therapy following neonatal HSV infections limited to the SEM.

• Infants with creatinine greater than 1.5 mg/dl at time of study enrollment.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Herpes Simplex

Intervention

Drug:
• Acyclovir
Oral banana flavored acyclovir suspension: 300 mg/m^2/dose three times a day (TID), to be given at least 6 to 8 hours apart for 6 months. Dosage adjustments will be made monthly to compensate for increases in body surface area.
• Placebo
Oral banana flavored placebo suspension: to be given at least 6 to 8 hours apart for 6 months. Dosage adjustments will be made monthly to compensate for increases in body surface area.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	University of Alberta - Aberhart Centre - Pediatrics	Edmonton	Alberta
United States	Johns Hopkins Hospital	Baltimore	Maryland
United States	University of Alabama at Birmingham	Birmingham	Alabama
United States	Medical University of South Carolina	Charleston	South Carolina
United States	Carolinas Medical Center	Charlotte	North Carolina
United States	The University of Chicago - Comer Children's Hospital - Infectious Diseases	Chicago	Illinois
United States	Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center	Cincinnati	Ohio
United States	MetroHealth Medical Center - Pediatric Infectious Disease	Cleveland	Ohio
United States	Nationwide Children's Hospital - Infectious Diseases	Columbus	Ohio
United States	University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center	Dallas	Texas
United States	Children's Hospital of Michigan - Pediatric Infectious Diseases	Detroit	Michigan
United States	Cook Children's Infectious Disease Services	Fort Worth	Texas
United States	University of Mississippi	Jackson	Mississippi
United States	University of Florida - College of Medicine - Jacksonville	Jacksonville	Florida
United States	Arkansas Children's Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases	Little Rock	Arkansas
United States	Children's Hospital Los Angeles - Pediatrics Infectious Diseases	Los Angeles	California
United States	Kosair Children's Hospital	Louisville	Kentucky
United States	Vanderbilt University	Nashville	Tennessee
United States	Tulane University - Tulane Medical Center - Department of Pediatrics	New Orleans	Louisiana
United States	Mount Sinai Hospital	New York	New York
United States	Maine Medical Center - Department of Pediatric Specialty Care - Infectious Disease	Portland	Maine
United States	Oregon Health and Science University	Portland	Oregon
United States	Rhode Island Hospital	Providence	Rhode Island
United States	University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio - Pediatrics - Immunology & Infectious Disease	San Antonio	Texas
United States	Rady Children's Hospital San Diego	San Diego	California
United States	Seattle Children's Hospital - Infectious Diseases	Seattle	Washington
United States	St. Louis Children's Hospital - Infectious Disease	St. Louis	Missouri
United States	Stanford University School of Medicine	Stanford	California
United States	UNY Upstate Medical University Hospital - Pediatrics	Syracuse	New York

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Countries where clinical trial is conducted

United States,  Canada, 

References & Publications (1)

Kimberlin DW, Whitley RJ, Wan W, Powell DA, Storch G, Ahmed A, Palmer A, Sánchez PJ, Jacobs RF, Bradley JS, Robinson JL, Shelton M, Dennehy PH, Leach C, Rathore M, Abughali N, Wright P, Frenkel LM, Brady RC, Van Dyke R, Weiner LB, Guzman-Cottrill J, McCar — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Participants With Neurologic Impairment at 12 Months as Measured by a Bayley's Neuro-developmental Assessment (Motor Scores).	Motor scores of all participants completing 6 months of blinded therapy as measured by the Bayleys neuro-developmental assessment at 12 months. Scores are classified as the following: greater than or equal to 115 suggests accelerated performance; 85 - 114 suggests development within normal limits; 70 - 84 suggests mildly delayed development; and less than or equal to 69 suggests significant delayed development.	At 12 months of life.	No
Primary	Participants With Neurologic Impairment at 12 Months as Measured by Bayley's Neuro-developmental Assessment.(Mental Scores)	Mental scores of all subjects completing 6 months of blinded therapy as measured by the Bayleys neuro-developmental assessment at 12 months. Scores are classified as the following: greater than or equal to 115 suggests accelerated performance; 85 - 114 suggests development within normal limits; 70 - 84 suggests mildly delayed development; and less than or equal to 69 suggests significant delayed development.	At 12 months of life.	No
Secondary	Number of Participants With Two or Fewer Episodes of Cutaneous Recurrence of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Disease Post-randomization During the Initial 12 Months of Life.	Number of participants experiencing 2 or fewer HSV recurrences during the first 12 months of life as measured by assessments and reports at study visits.	post randomization - 12 months	No
Secondary	Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) DNA in the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) by PCR at Anytime During the Initial 12 Months of Life.	Number of participants assessed to have a positive herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at any time during their initial 12 months of life after treatment. The PCR is a technique to help visualize copies of a piece of DNA.	post randomization - 12 months	No