Trial Outcomes & Findings for Pentoxifylline in Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NCT NCT00590161)

NCT ID: NCT00590161

Last Updated: 2013-09-26

Results Overview

The NAFLD Activity Score (NAS) grades NAFLD on liver biopsy based on the individual scoring of steatosis, inflammation and balloning. The NAS is assessed on a scale of 0 to 8 with higher scores indicating more severe disease and lower scores indicating less severe disease. NAS is obtained by adding steatosis(assessed on a scale of 0 to 3), inflammation (assessed on a scale of 0 to 3) and ballooning (assessed on a scale of 0 to 2).

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

PHASE2

Target enrollment

55 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

1 year (Baseline liver biopsy done at study entry, and subsequent liver biopsy done after one year of therapy with pentoxifylline or placebo)

Results posted on

2013-09-26

Participant Flow

Patients were recruited between December 2006 and February 2009 at the Liver Clinics of both participating institutions.

Patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion. Double blinding was maintained until study completion by all subjects.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Pentoxifylline (PTX) 400 mg PO Three Times Daily (TID)
26 subjects received PTX at dose above for one year
Placebo TID
29 subjects received placebo as above for one year
Overall Study
STARTED
26
29
Overall Study
COMPLETED
23
26
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
3
3

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Pentoxifylline in Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Pentoxifylline (PTX) 400 mg PO (by Mouth) TID
n=26 Participants
26 subjects received PTX at dose above for one year
Placebo TID
n=29 Participants
29 subjects received placebo as above for one year
Total
n=55 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
n=93 Participants
0 Participants
n=4 Participants
0 Participants
n=27 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
23 Participants
n=93 Participants
27 Participants
n=4 Participants
50 Participants
n=27 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
3 Participants
n=93 Participants
2 Participants
n=4 Participants
5 Participants
n=27 Participants
Age Continuous
50.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.7 • n=93 Participants
49.6 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.6 • n=4 Participants
50 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.1 • n=27 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
8 Participants
n=93 Participants
9 Participants
n=4 Participants
17 Participants
n=27 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
18 Participants
n=93 Participants
20 Participants
n=4 Participants
38 Participants
n=27 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
26 participants
n=93 Participants
29 participants
n=4 Participants
55 participants
n=27 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 1 year (Baseline liver biopsy done at study entry, and subsequent liver biopsy done after one year of therapy with pentoxifylline or placebo)

Population: Intention to treat analysis included all participants and for this analysis patients without available end of study liver biopsy were imputed as treatment failures. Results showed here are continuous variable analysis of NAS score change in patients with available end of study liver biopsy (per protocol analysis)

The NAFLD Activity Score (NAS) grades NAFLD on liver biopsy based on the individual scoring of steatosis, inflammation and balloning. The NAS is assessed on a scale of 0 to 8 with higher scores indicating more severe disease and lower scores indicating less severe disease. NAS is obtained by adding steatosis(assessed on a scale of 0 to 3), inflammation (assessed on a scale of 0 to 3) and ballooning (assessed on a scale of 0 to 2).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Pentoxifylline 400 mg PO Tid
n=20 Participants
26 subjects received PTX at dose above for one year
Placebo Tid
n=26 Participants
29 subjects received placebo as above for one year
Histological Improvement of at Least 2 Points in NAFLD Activity Score (NAS) on Liver Biopsy After One Year.
-1.6 NAS score units
Standard Deviation 1.1
-0.1 NAS score units
Standard Deviation 1.4

Adverse Events

Pentoxifylline 400 mg PO Tid

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 11 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Placebo Tid

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 14 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Other adverse events
Measure
Pentoxifylline 400 mg PO Tid
n=26 participants at risk
26 subjects received PTX at dose above for one year
Placebo Tid
n=29 participants at risk
29 subjects received placebo as above for one year
Gastrointestinal disorders
Nausea
23.1%
6/26 • Number of events 6
13.8%
4/29 • Number of events 4
Gastrointestinal disorders
Bloating
7.7%
2/26 • Number of events 2
10.3%
3/29 • Number of events 3
General disorders
Headache
7.7%
2/26 • Number of events 2
3.4%
1/29 • Number of events 1
Gastrointestinal disorders
Abdominal pain
0.00%
0/26
6.9%
2/29 • Number of events 2
General disorders
Lightheadedness
3.8%
1/26 • Number of events 1
10.3%
3/29 • Number of events 3
Gastrointestinal disorders
Diarrhea
3.8%
1/26 • Number of events 1
10.3%
3/29 • Number of events 3
General disorders
Chest pain
0.00%
0/26
6.9%
2/29 • Number of events 2
General disorders
Fatigue
0.00%
0/26
6.9%
2/29 • Number of events 2

Additional Information

Claudia O. Zein, MD, MSc

Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University

Phone: 216-444-0421

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place