Infliximab Top-down in Pediatric Crohn (ITSKids)

Erasmus University

Status and phase: Terminated; Phase 4

Conditions: Crohn's Disease

Treatments: Drug: Azathioprine; Drug: Prednisolon; Drug: Infliximab

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01880307

2012-000645-13 (EudraCT Number)

NL39202.078.12

2014-005702-37 (EudraCT Number)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a top-down treatment approach, prescribing infliximab and azathioprine at diagnose, yields better outcome in comparison to the usual step-up treatment approach, starting with prednison and azathioprine, in moderate-to-severe pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) patients.

Full description

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine whether a top-down treatment approach, prescribing infliximab and azathioprine at diagnose, yields better outcome in comparison to the usual step-up treatment approach, starting with prednison and azathioprine, in moderate-to-severe pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) patients.

Sample size: We will include 100 (2 x 50) patients. With these numbers a difference of 60% and 85% (= 25) can be shown at a power of 80% (2-sided α 0.05; nQuery Advisor).

Study design: an international open-label randomised controlled trial Study population: Children (age 3-17 yrs) with new-onset, untreated, CD with moderate-to-severe disease activity Intervention: Patients will be randomised to either top-down IFX treatment or conventional step-up treatment.

Treatment arm 1: Top-down IFX treatment will consist of a total of 5 IFX infusions of 5 mg/kg (IFX induction at week 0, 2 and 6, followed by 2 maintenance infusions every 8 weeks) combined with oral azathioprine (AZA) 2-3 mg/kg once daily. AZA therapy will continue after the last IFX infusion to maintain remission.

Treatment arm 2: Step-up treatment will consist of standard induction treatment by oral prednisolone 1 mg/kg (maximum 40 mg) once daily for 4 weeks, followed by tapering in 6 weeks until stop. Prednisolone will be combined with oral AZA 2-3 mg, once daily, as maintenance treatment.

Main study parameters/endpoints: Clinical remission at 52 weeks without need for additional IBD related therapy or surgery. Secondary endpoints include clinical response, remission and mucosal healing at week 10 and 52, growth and adverse events.

Enrollment: 13 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Children (age 3-17 years, both male and female) with new-onset, untreated CD with moderate-to-severe disease activity assessed by a wPCDAI >40 will be eligible for inclusion after a diagnosis of CD was made based on the Porto criteria.

Exclusion criteria

Patients with the following characteristics will be excluded: immediate need for surgery, symptomatic stenosis or stricture in the bowel due to scarring, active perianal fistulas, severe co-morbidity, severe infection such as sepsis or opportunistic infections, positive stool culture, positive Clostridium difficile assay, positive tuberculin test or a chest radiograph consistent with tuberculosis or malignancy, those already started with CD specific therapy.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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13 participants in 2 patient groups

Top-down

Experimental group

Description:

Infliximab and azathioprine; patients will receive 5 infliximab infusions of 5 mg/kg (IFX induction at week 0, 2 and 6, followed by 2 maintenance infusions every 8 weeks). IFX will be discontinued after 5 IFX infusions. Patients will also receive oral azathioprine 2-3 mg/kg, once daily as maintenance treatment.

Treatment:

Drug: Infliximab

Drug: Azathioprine

Step-up

Active Comparator group

Description:

Prednisolon and azathioprine; Patients will receive induction treatment with oral prednisolone 1 mg/kg (maximum 40 mg) once daily for 4 weeks, then tapering of prednisolone in 6 weeks until stop, and receive oral azathioprine 2-3 mg/kg, once daily as maintenance treatment.

Treatment:

Drug: Azathioprine

Drug: Prednisolon