Controlling Anal Incontinence by Performing Anal Exercises With Biofeedback or Loperamide (CAPABLe)

NCT ID: NCT02008565

Last Updated: 2018-11-20

Study Results

Results available

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

View full results

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

300 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2014-02-28

Study Completion Date

2016-05-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The study is a multi-center, randomized, placebo controlled trial with participants randomized into one of four groups:

1. placebo/usual care (educational pamphlet)
2. loperamide/usual care (educational pamphlet)
3. placebo/anal exercises with biofeedback
4. loperamide/anal exercises with biofeedback

The primary outcome, change from baseline in St. Marks (Vaizey) Score at 24 weeks, will be compared between treatment groups using linear regression.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

The goals of this trial are to compare the use of loperamide to oral placebo and to compare the use of anal sphincter exercise training with biofeedback to usual care (educational pamphlet) in the treatment of women suffering from fecal incontinence (FI). We will test the following null hypotheses:

1. there is no difference in outcomes between women randomized to loperamide and women randomized to oral placebo for treatment of FI;
2. there is no difference in outcomes between women randomized to anal sphincter exercises with biofeedback and women randomized to usual care (educational pamphlet) for FI treatment;
3. there is no difference between women randomized to both treatments together and women randomized to either FI treatment alone; and
4. there is no correlation between anal manometry measurements and digital anal squeeze strength or measures of FI severity and bother.

A supplemental study, Stool Metabolome and Microbiome in Women with Fecal Incontinence in CAPABLe, will evaluate the stool metabolome and microbiome in women with fecal incontinence and unaffected age matched controls.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Fecal Incontinence

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

FACTORIAL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Placebo - Exercise plus Biofeedback

Placebo and biofeedback intervention. Placebo doses range from 2mg every other day to 8mg per day. Capsules are taken by mouth once a day for 24 weeks.

Anal exercises with biofeedback intervention is a total of six sessions with trained personnel occurring every 2 weeks over a 12-week period. Sessions are held at the following study visits: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 week visits.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Participants randomized to the placebo arm will begin the a dose of one capsule per day and will be dose increased or dose decreased using the same algorithm described for the loperamide arm.

Anal exercises with biofeedback

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive a formal anal exercises training program that can be easily applied in an office setting with minimal participant burden. Participants will attend six anal exercises with biofeedback sessions with trained personnel over a 12-week period for the 24-week study. Sessions will include introduction, standard patient education, and exercises using anal manometry-assisted biofeedback introducing concepts such as shaping, generalization and termination. The protocol uses strength and sensory training including urge resistance training. During the final twelve weeks, participants will perform anal exercises on their own. The sessions with interventionists will occur every other week for 12 weeks (total 6 supervised sessions).

Loperamide - Exercise plus Biofeedback

Loperamide and biofeedback intervention. Loperamide doses range from 2mg every other day to 8mg per day. Capsules are taken by mouth once a day for 24 weeks.

Anal exercises with biofeedback intervention is a total of six sessions with trained personnel occurring every 2 weeks over a 12-week period. Sessions are held at the following study visits: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 week visits.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Loperamide

Intervention Type DRUG

Participants randomized to the loperamide group will begin with 2mg of loperamide/day. The participant will be administered the Patient Global Symptom Control rating scale (PGSC) to determine dose escalation. Participants who report inadequate control of stool leakage on the PGSC will be instructed to increase the daily dose of loperamide by 2 mg up to a maximum of 8 mg per day (1-4 capsules). Bothersome adverse events and resulting dose reduction will be based exclusively on the result of the Patient Global Tolerability Scale (PGTS). The daily dose will be decreased by 2mg to a minimum of 2mg every other day. If a PGSC score indicates inadequate control of stool leakage combined with a PGTS score indicating bothersome side effects, the participant will discontinue the study medication.

Anal exercises with biofeedback

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive a formal anal exercises training program that can be easily applied in an office setting with minimal participant burden. Participants will attend six anal exercises with biofeedback sessions with trained personnel over a 12-week period for the 24-week study. Sessions will include introduction, standard patient education, and exercises using anal manometry-assisted biofeedback introducing concepts such as shaping, generalization and termination. The protocol uses strength and sensory training including urge resistance training. During the final twelve weeks, participants will perform anal exercises on their own. The sessions with interventionists will occur every other week for 12 weeks (total 6 supervised sessions).

Placebo - Education Only

Placebo and education (usual care). Placebo doses range from 2mg every other day to 8mg per day. Capsules are taken by mouth once a day for 24 weeks.

Participants receive education and a NIDDK Bowel Control Educational pamphlet.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Participants randomized to the placebo arm will begin the a dose of one capsule per day and will be dose increased or dose decreased using the same algorithm described for the loperamide arm.

Usual Care

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Usual care consists of patients receiving an educational pamphlet on fecal incontinence created by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Loperamide - Education Only

Loperamide and education (usual care). Loperamide doses range from 2mg every other day to 8mg per day. Capsules are taken by mouth once a day for 24 weeks.

Participants receive education and a NIDDK Bowel Control Educational pamphlet.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Loperamide

Intervention Type DRUG

Participants randomized to the loperamide group will begin with 2mg of loperamide/day. The participant will be administered the Patient Global Symptom Control rating scale (PGSC) to determine dose escalation. Participants who report inadequate control of stool leakage on the PGSC will be instructed to increase the daily dose of loperamide by 2 mg up to a maximum of 8 mg per day (1-4 capsules). Bothersome adverse events and resulting dose reduction will be based exclusively on the result of the Patient Global Tolerability Scale (PGTS). The daily dose will be decreased by 2mg to a minimum of 2mg every other day. If a PGSC score indicates inadequate control of stool leakage combined with a PGTS score indicating bothersome side effects, the participant will discontinue the study medication.

Usual Care

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Usual care consists of patients receiving an educational pamphlet on fecal incontinence created by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Loperamide

Participants randomized to the loperamide group will begin with 2mg of loperamide/day. The participant will be administered the Patient Global Symptom Control rating scale (PGSC) to determine dose escalation. Participants who report inadequate control of stool leakage on the PGSC will be instructed to increase the daily dose of loperamide by 2 mg up to a maximum of 8 mg per day (1-4 capsules). Bothersome adverse events and resulting dose reduction will be based exclusively on the result of the Patient Global Tolerability Scale (PGTS). The daily dose will be decreased by 2mg to a minimum of 2mg every other day. If a PGSC score indicates inadequate control of stool leakage combined with a PGTS score indicating bothersome side effects, the participant will discontinue the study medication.

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo

Participants randomized to the placebo arm will begin the a dose of one capsule per day and will be dose increased or dose decreased using the same algorithm described for the loperamide arm.

Intervention Type DRUG

Anal exercises with biofeedback

Participants will receive a formal anal exercises training program that can be easily applied in an office setting with minimal participant burden. Participants will attend six anal exercises with biofeedback sessions with trained personnel over a 12-week period for the 24-week study. Sessions will include introduction, standard patient education, and exercises using anal manometry-assisted biofeedback introducing concepts such as shaping, generalization and termination. The protocol uses strength and sensory training including urge resistance training. During the final twelve weeks, participants will perform anal exercises on their own. The sessions with interventionists will occur every other week for 12 weeks (total 6 supervised sessions).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Usual Care

Usual care consists of patients receiving an educational pamphlet on fecal incontinence created by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

Imodium Inactive Drug

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Age ≥18 years
* Fecal incontinence defined as any uncontrolled loss of liquid or solid fecal material that occurs at least monthly over the last 3 months that is bothersome enough to desire treatment

Exclusion Criteria

* Stool consistency over the last 3 months that includes items 1 or 7 based on the Bristol Stool form scale
* Current or past diagnosis of colorectal or anal malignancy
* Diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease
* Current or history of rectovaginal fistula or cloacal defect
* Rectal prolapse (mucosal or full thickness)
* Prior removal or diversion of any portion of colon or rectum
* Prior pelvic floor or abdominal radiation
* Refusal or inability to provide written consent
* Inability to conduct telephone interviews conducted in English or Spanish
* Fecal impaction by exam
* Untreated pelvic organ prolapse beyond the hymen; Patients with prolapse beyond the hymen who are currently using a pessary are eligible
* Incontinence only to flatus
* Has taken any loperamide (Imodium®) or diphenoxylate plus atropine (Lomotil®) in the last 30 days
* Previously received and failed treatment of fecal incontinence using loperamide (Imodium®) or diphenoxylate plus atropine (Lomotil®) over the last 3 months
* Current supervised anal sphincter exercise/pelvic floor muscle training with biofeedback
* Previously received and failed treatment of fecal incontinence using supervised anal sphincter exercise/pelvic floor muscle training with biofeedback
* Previous allergy or intolerance to loperamide
* Pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant before the end of the study follow-up period.
* Childbirth within the last 3 months
* Currently taking anti-retroviral drugs
* Neurological disorders known to affect continence, including spinal cord injury, advanced multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease and debilitating stroke
* Known diagnosis of hepatic impairment
* Chronic abdominal pain in the absence of diarrhea
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

The Cleveland Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Alabama at Birmingham

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of California, San Diego

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Duke University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of New Mexico

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

RTI International

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Pennsylvania

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Pittsburgh

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

NICHD Pelvic Floor Disorders Network

NETWORK

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

J E Jelovsek

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

The Cleveland Clinic

Matthew Barber

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

The Cleveland Clinic

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Site Status

University of California at San Diego

La Jolla, California, United States

Site Status

Kaiser San Diego

San Diego, California, United States

Site Status

University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Site Status

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Site Status

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Site Status

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

Brown/Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Jelovsek JE, Markland AD, Whitehead WE, Barber MD, Newman DK, Rogers RG, Dyer K, Visco AG, Sutkin G, Zyczynski HM, Carper B, Meikle SF, Sung VW, Gantz MG; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. Controlling faecal incontinence in women by performing anal exercises with biofeedback or loperamide: a randomised clinical trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 Sep;4(9):698-710. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(19)30193-1. Epub 2019 Jul 15.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 31320277 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

2U10HD041261

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

2U10HD054215

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

2U10HD041267

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

1U10HD069006

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

2U10HD054214

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

1U10HD069013

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

1U10HD069025

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

1U10HD069010

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

1U01HD069031

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

PFDN- 18PO1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.