Adjunctive Sertraline for the Treatment of HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis

NCT ID: NCT01802385

Last Updated: 2020-06-09

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

460 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-03-09

Study Completion Date

2017-09-27

Brief Summary

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This is a phase III trial to determine whether adjunctive sertraline will lead to improved survival 18-week survival.

There was an initial phase I/II unmasked dose finding pharmacokinetic study of CSF concentrations in 172 persons conducted from August 2013 to August 2014. See NCT03002012.

Detailed Description

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This is a phase III randomized trial to evaluate whether sertraline when added to standard amphotericin-based therapy for cryptococcal meningitis, will lead to improved survival . Cryptococcal meningitis diagnosis will be made via CSF cryptococcal antigen (CRAG) at time of lumbar puncture (LP) with confirmation by CSF culture. After informed consent, subjects that meet eligibility requirements will be able to enter study. A non-randomized phase I dose-escalation study will first be conducted to help optimize dosing for a larger randomized phase II study.

Phase III Design: Subjects will be randomized to standard induction therapy with masked placebo or sertraline at 400mg/day. We will use a permutated block randomization in a 1:1 allocation (n=275 per arm). Total anticipated enrollment: 550 subjects.

Conditions

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Cryptococcal Meningitis Fungal Meningitis

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Placebo

Standard cryptococcal meningitis therapy with amphotericin (0.7-1.0 mg/kg/day) + fluconazole (800-1200mg/day) + placebo

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Sertraline 400mg

Standard cryptococcal meningitis therapy with amphotericin (0.7-1.0 mg/kg/day) + fluconazole (800-1200mg/day plus adjunctive sertraline therapy at 400mg/day for 2 weeks, then 200mg for 12 weeks, and then tapered over 3 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Sertraline

Intervention Type DRUG

Sertraline 400mg/day for 2 weeks, then 200mg/day for 12 weeks, then tapered over 3 weeks.

Interventions

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Sertraline

Sertraline 400mg/day for 2 weeks, then 200mg/day for 12 weeks, then tapered over 3 weeks.

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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Zoloft Lustral

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Cryptococcal meningitis diagnosed by CSF cryptococcal antigen (CRAG)
* HIV-1 infection
* Ability and willingness of the participant or legal guardian/representative to provide informed consent
* Willing to receive protocol-specified lumbar punctures

Exclusion Criteria

* Age \< 18 years
* Receipt of \>=3 doses of amphotericin therapy
* Cannot or unlikely to attend regular clinic visits
* History of known liver cirrhosis
* Presence of jaundice
* Pregnancy
* Current breastfeeding
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Infectious Disease Institute, Kampala, Uganda

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Mbarara University of Science and Technology

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Medical Research Council

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Wellcome Trust

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Makerere University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Minnesota

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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David B Meya, MBCHB MMed

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Infectious Disease Institute

Joshua Rhein, MD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

University of Minnesota

David R Boulware, MD MPH

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

University of Minnesota

Locations

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Infectious Disease Institute

Kampala, , Uganda

Site Status

Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Mbarara, , Uganda

Site Status

Countries

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Uganda

References

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Rhein J, Morawski BM, Hullsiek KH, Nabeta HW, Kiggundu R, Tugume L, Musubire A, Akampurira A, Smith KD, Alhadab A, Williams DA, Abassi M, Bahr NC, Velamakanni SS, Fisher J, Nielsen K, Meya DB, Boulware DR; ASTRO-CM Study Team. Efficacy of adjunctive sertraline for the treatment of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: an open-label dose-ranging study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2016 Jul;16(7):809-818. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(16)00074-8. Epub 2016 Mar 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26971081 (View on PubMed)

Zhai B, Wu C, Wang L, Sachs MS, Lin X. The antidepressant sertraline provides a promising therapeutic option for neurotropic cryptococcal infections. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012 Jul;56(7):3758-66. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00212-12. Epub 2012 Apr 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22508310 (View on PubMed)

Smith KD, Achan B, Hullsiek KH, McDonald TR, Okagaki LH, Alhadab AA, Akampurira A, Rhein JR, Meya DB, Boulware DR, Nielsen K; ASTRO-CM/COAT Team. Increased Antifungal Drug Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans in Uganda. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Dec;59(12):7197-204. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01299-15. Epub 2015 Aug 31.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26324276 (View on PubMed)

Rhein J, Huppler Hullsiek K, Tugume L, Nuwagira E, Mpoza E, Evans EE, Kiggundu R, Pastick KA, Ssebambulidde K, Akampurira A, Williams DA, Bangdiwala AS, Abassi M, Musubire AK, Nicol MR, Muzoora C, Meya DB, Boulware DR; ASTRO-CM team. Adjunctive sertraline for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 3 trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2019 Aug;19(8):843-851. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(19)30127-6.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31345462 (View on PubMed)

Sadiq A, Kwizera R, Kiiza TK, Ayebare P, Ahimbisibwe C, Ndyetukira JF, Boulware DR, Meya DB. Experiences, challenges, gaps, and strategies for counselling persons presenting with advanced HIV-associated meningitis in Uganda. AIDS Res Ther. 2025 Feb 19;22(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s12981-025-00705-z.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 39972326 (View on PubMed)

Okurut S, Boulware DR, Okafor E, Rhein J, Kajumbula H, Bagaya BS, Bwanga F, Olobo JO, Manabe YC, Meya DB, Janoff EN. Divergent neuroimmune signatures in the cerebrospinal fluid predict differential gender-specific survival among patients with HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis. Front Immunol. 2023 Dec 13;14:1275443. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1275443. eCollection 2023.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 38152404 (View on PubMed)

Bahr NC, Skipper CP, Huppler-Hullsiek K, Ssebambulidde K, Morawski BM, Engen NW, Nuwagira E, Quinn CM, Ramachandran PS, Evans EE, Lofgren SM, Abassi M, Muzoora C, Wilson MR, Meya DB, Rhein J, Boulware DR. Recurrence of Symptoms Following Cryptococcal Meningitis: Characterizing a Diagnostic Conundrum With Multiple Etiologies. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Mar 21;76(6):1080-1087. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac853.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 36303432 (View on PubMed)

Lofgren SM, Nicol MR, Kandole TK, Castillo-Mancilla J, Anderson PL, Mpoza E, Tugume L, Bangdiwala AS, Ssebambulidde K, Hullsiek KH, Rhein J, Meya DB, Boulware DR. Short Communication: A Descriptive Analysis of Dried Blood Spot Adherence Testing Among Ugandans with HIV Presenting with Cryptococcal Meningitis. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2021 Jul;37(7):529-533. doi: 10.1089/AID.2020.0202. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 33677986 (View on PubMed)

Kwizera R, Sadiq A, Ndyetukira JF, Nalintya E, Williams D, Rhein J, Boulware DR, Meya DB; COAT and ASTRO trial teams. Impact of community engagement and social support on the outcomes of HIV-related meningitis clinical trials in a resource-limited setting. Res Involv Engagem. 2020 Aug 20;6:49. doi: 10.1186/s40900-020-00228-z. eCollection 2020.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 32843994 (View on PubMed)

Ahimbisibwe C, Kwizera R, Ndyetukira JF, Kugonza F, Sadiq A, Hullsiek KH, Williams DA, Rhein J, Boulware DR, Meya DB. Management of amphotericin-induced phlebitis among HIV patients with cryptococcal meningitis in a resource-limited setting: a prospective cohort study. BMC Infect Dis. 2019 Jun 26;19(1):558. doi: 10.1186/s12879-019-4209-7.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 31242860 (View on PubMed)

Atherton RR, Ellis J, Cresswell FV, Rhein J, Boulware DR. Ophthalmic signs in Ugandan adults with HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: A nested analysis of the ASTRO-CM cohort. Wellcome Open Res. 2018 Oct 12;3:80. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.14666.2. eCollection 2018.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 30345376 (View on PubMed)

Tugume L, Rhein J, Hullsiek KH, Mpoza E, Kiggundu R, Ssebambulidde K, Schutz C, Taseera K, Williams DA, Abassi M, Muzoora C, Musubire AK, Meintjes G, Meya DB, Boulware DR; COAT and ASTRO-CM teams. HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis Occurring at Relatively Higher CD4 Counts. J Infect Dis. 2019 Feb 23;219(6):877-883. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiy602.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 30325463 (View on PubMed)

Ssebambulidde K, Bangdiwala AS, Kwizera R, Kandole TK, Tugume L, Kiggundu R, Mpoza E, Nuwagira E, Williams DA, Lofgren SM, Abassi M, Musubire AK, Cresswell FV, Rhein J, Muzoora C, Hullsiek KH, Boulware DR, Meya DB; Adjunctive Sertraline for Treatment of HIV-associated Cryptococcal Meningitis Team. Symptomatic Cryptococcal Antigenemia Presenting as Early Cryptococcal Meningitis With Negative Cerebral Spinal Fluid Analysis. Clin Infect Dis. 2019 May 30;68(12):2094-2098. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy817.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 30256903 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Related Links

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http://www.idi-makerere.com/

Infectious Disease Institute

http://www.accordiafoundation.org

Accordia Global Health Foundation

Other Identifiers

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R01NS086312-01

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

S4 0296-01

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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