Childhood Absence Epilepsy Rx PK-PD-Pharmacogenetics Study

NCT ID: NCT00088452

Last Updated: 2020-10-14

Study Results

Results available

Outcome measurements, participant flow, baseline characteristics, and adverse events have been published for this study.

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

453 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2004-07-31

Study Completion Date

2016-08-31

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to determine the best initial treatment for childhood absence epilepsy.

Detailed Description

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Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is a common pediatric epilepsy syndrome that affects 10 to 15 percent of all children with epilepsy. Individuals with CAE have brief staring spell seizures that occur suddenly, unpredictably, and frequently throughout the day. These seizures impair the children's ability to learn and play, and lead to higher injury rates.

There are many medications used to treat seizures, but only 3 generally are used as the first treatment for children with CAE: ethosuximide, lamotrigine, and valproic acid. The goal of this study is to determine which of these 3 medicines is the best first choice as treatment for children with CAE.

Approximately 439 children, recruited over a 3-year period at 32 medical centers in the US, will take part in this 5-year study. Participants will be randomly given one of the 3 common CAE treatments-ethosuximide, lamotrigine, or valproic acid-and will make regular visits to a clinic every 1 to 3 months for approximately 2 years. During the visits, participants will undergo regular testing to determine if the medicine is working, to watch for side effects, and to help researchers learn more about the responses to these medicines. In addition, researchers hope to develop methods that may be used in the future to help choose the best medicine for each individual diagnosed with CAE.

Also included in the study will be pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics research. Pharmacokinetics is the study of how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes drugs. Pharmacogenetics is the study of genetic determinants of the response to drugs. Knowledge gained from this study may lead to individualized treatment for children with CAE, and may also be beneficial for other pediatric and adult seizure disorders.

Conditions

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Childhood Absence Epilepsy Petit Mal Epilepsy Epilepsy Seizures

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators

Study Groups

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Ethosuximide

Ethosuximide

Frequency and Duration: twice a day, every day for the duration of the study treatment

Formulation: Two formulations were used (actual formulation used was dependent on the patient's weight and ability to swallow): 250mg Zarontin capsules OR 250 mg/5 mL Zarontin syrup

Dosing: Ethosuximide was titrated in predetermined increments every 1-2 weeks during a 16-week titration period. The titration continued until the patient a) achieved seizure freedom by clinical and EEG criteria, b) reached the maximal allowed study drug dose, c) reached the maximal tolerated dose, or d) developed dose-exiting criteria (treatment failure), whichever came first. Maximum allowed dose: 60 mg/kg/day or 2000 mg/day (whichever was lower)

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Ethosuximide

Intervention Type DRUG

Ethosuximide is a common treatment for childhood absence epilepsy.

Lamotrigine

Lamotrigine

Frequency and Duration: twice a day, every day for the duration of the study treatment

Formulation: Three formulations were used (actual formulation used was dependent on the patient's weight): 5mg Lamictal chewable tablets OR 25 mg Lamictal chewable tablets OR 25 mg (Lamictal tablets

Dosing: Lamotrigine was titrated in predetermined increments every 1-2 weeks during a 16-week titration period. The titration continued until the patient a) achieved seizure freedom by clinical and EEG criteria, b) reached the maximal allowed study drug dose, c) reached the maximal tolerated dose, or d) developed dose-exiting criteria (treatment failure), whichever came first. Maximum allowed dose: 12 mg/kg/day or 600 mg/day (whichever was lower).

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Lamotrigine

Intervention Type DRUG

Lamotrigine is a common treatment for childhood absence epilepsy.

Valproic acid

Valproic acid

Frequency and Duration: twice a day, every day for the duration of the study treatment

Formulation: Two formulations were used (actual formulation used was dependent on the patient's weight): 250mg Depakote capsules OR 125mg Depakote sprinkles.

Dosing: Depakote was titrated in predetermined increments every 1-2 weeks during a 16-week titration period. The titration continued until the patient a) achieved seizure freedom by clinical and EEG criteria, b) reached the maximal allowed study drug dose, c) reached the maximal tolerated dose, or d) developed dose-exiting criteria (treatment failure), whichever came first. Maximum allowed dose: 60 mg/kg/day or 3000 mg/day (whichever was lower)

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Valproic acid

Intervention Type DRUG

Valproic acid is a common treatment for childhood absence epilepsy.

Interventions

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Ethosuximide

Ethosuximide is a common treatment for childhood absence epilepsy.

Intervention Type DRUG

Lamotrigine

Lamotrigine is a common treatment for childhood absence epilepsy.

Intervention Type DRUG

Valproic acid

Valproic acid is a common treatment for childhood absence epilepsy.

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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Zarontin Lamictal Depakote

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Diagnosis: Clinical diagnosis of Childhood Absence Epilepsy consistent with the International League against Epilepsy Proposal for Revised Classification of Epilepsies and Epileptic Syndromes (3).
* EEG: Interictal EEG demonstrating bilateral synchronous symmetrical approximate 3 Hz spike waves on a normal background with at least one burst lasting \>/= (greater than or equal to) 3 seconds.
* Age \> 2.5 years and \< 13 years of age at study entry.
* Body weight \>/= (greater than or equal to) 10 kilograms.
* Body Mass Index: BMI for age =/\< 99th percentile (based on the CDC BMI for age growth curves for boys/girls \[http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts\], Appendix 1).
* Hepatic:
* AST/ALT \< 2.5 times the upper limit of normal
* Total bilirubin \< 1.5 times the upper limit of normal.
* Hematologic:
* Absolute neutrophil count \>/= (greater than or equal to) 1500/mm3.
* Platelets \>/= (greater than or equal to) 120, 000 /mm3.
* Female subjects must be premenarchal at the time of enrollment and must be willing to practice abstinence for the duration of the study.
* Parent/legal guardian(s) willing to sign an IRB approved informed consent.
* Subject assent (when appropriate and as dictated by local IRB).

Exclusion Criteria

* Treatment for CAE with anti-seizure medications (AED) for a period of greater than 7 days prior to randomization.
* History of a major psychiatric disease (e.g., psychosis, major depression).
* History of autism or pervasive development disorder.
* History of non-febrile seizures other than typical absence seizures. This includes a history of an afebrile generalized tonic clonic seizure.
* Clinical signs and symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of juvenile absence epilepsy or juvenile myoclonic epilepsy as delineated by the International League against Epilepsy Proposal for Revised Classification of Epilepsies and Epileptic Syndromes (3).
* History of recent or present significant or medical disease, i.e., cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, gynecologic, musculoskeletal, metabolic, or endocrine.
* History of a severe dermatologic reaction (e.g., Stevens Johnson, toxic epidermolysis necrosis) to medication.
* Subject or parent/legal guardian might not be reasonably expected to be compliant with or to complete the study.
* Participation in a trial of an investigational drug or device within 30 days prior to screening.
* Use of systemic contraceptive for any indication, including acne.
Minimum Eligible Age

30 Months

Maximum Eligible Age

13 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Tracy A. Glauser, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Peter Adamson, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Avital Cnaan, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Children's National Research Institute

Locations

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The Children's Hospital of Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Site Status

St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Site Status

Arkansas Children's Hospital

Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Site Status

University of California at San Diego

La Jolla, California, United States

Site Status

Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA

Los Angeles, California, United States

Site Status

Children's Hospital of Denver

Denver, Colorado, United States

Site Status

Yale University School of Medicine

New Haven, Connecticut, United States

Site Status

Children's National Medical Center

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States

Site Status

Nemours Children's Clinic

Jacksonville, Florida, United States

Site Status

Miami Children's Hospital

Miami, Florida, United States

Site Status

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Site Status

Children's Memorial Hospital

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Site Status

Children's Hospital of Michigan

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Site Status

Washington University in St. Louis

St Louis, Missouri, United States

Site Status

Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo

Buffalo, New York, United States

Site Status

NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Manhattan

New York, New York, United States

Site Status

Montefiore Medical Center

The Bronx, New York, United States

Site Status

Cincinnati Children's Hospital

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Site Status

Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Site Status

Children's Hospital, Inc., PCTI

Columbus, Ohio, United States

Site Status

Doernbecher Children's Hospital

Portland, Oregon, United States

Site Status

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

LeBonheur Children's Medical Center

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Site Status

Dallas Pediatric Neurology Associates

Dallas, Texas, United States

Site Status

Cook Children's Medical Center

Fort Worth, Texas, United States

Site Status

Texas Children's Hospital

Houston, Texas, United States

Site Status

University of Utah/Primary Children's Medical Center

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Site Status

Children's Hospital of The King's Daughter (Monarch Medical Research)

Norfolk, Virginia, United States

Site Status

Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center

Seattle, Washington, United States

Site Status

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Glauser TA, Cnaan A, Shinnar S, Hirtz DG, Dlugos D, Masur D, Clark PO, Adamson PC; Childhood Absence Epilepsy Study Team. Ethosuximide, valproic acid, and lamotrigine in childhood absence epilepsy: initial monotherapy outcomes at 12 months. Epilepsia. 2013 Jan;54(1):141-55. doi: 10.1111/epi.12028. Epub 2012 Nov 21.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23167925 (View on PubMed)

Cnaan A, Shinnar S, Arya R, Adamson PC, Clark PO, Dlugos D, Hirtz DG, Masur D, Glauser TA; Childhood Absence Epilepsy Study Group. Second monotherapy in childhood absence epilepsy. Neurology. 2017 Jan 10;88(2):182-190. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000003480. Epub 2016 Dec 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27986874 (View on PubMed)

Shinnar S, Cnaan A, Hu F, Clark P, Dlugos D, Hirtz DG, Masur D, Mizrahi EM, Moshe SL, Glauser TA; Childhood Absence Epilepsy Study Group. Long-term outcomes of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in a childhood absence epilepsy trial. Neurology. 2015 Sep 29;85(13):1108-14. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001971. Epub 2015 Aug 26.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26311751 (View on PubMed)

Glauser TA, Cnaan A, Shinnar S, Hirtz DG, Dlugos D, Masur D, Clark PO, Capparelli EV, Adamson PC; Childhood Absence Epilepsy Study Group. Ethosuximide, valproic acid, and lamotrigine in childhood absence epilepsy. N Engl J Med. 2010 Mar 4;362(9):790-9. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0902014.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 20200383 (View on PubMed)

Shinnar RC, Shinnar S, Cnaan A, Clark P, Dlugos D, Hirtz DG, Hu F, Liu C, Masur D, Weiss EF, Glauser TA; Childhood Absence Epilepsy Study Group. Pretreatment behavior and subsequent medication effects in childhood absence epilepsy. Neurology. 2017 Oct 17;89(16):1698-1706. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004514. Epub 2017 Sep 15.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 28916534 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

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U01NS045803

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

U01NS045911

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

View Link

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