Platelet Transfusions in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (The PATH III Trial)

NCT ID: NCT04448184

Last Updated: 2026-01-08

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

662 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-02-16

Study Completion Date

2027-02-28

Brief Summary

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It is hypothesized that a strategy using prophylactic oral and intravenous Tranexamic Acid (TXA) with therapeutic platelet transfusions (if required) is safe and more effective than prophylactic platelet transfusions in patients undergoing an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

Detailed Description

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In Canada, over 1,500 autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (ASCT) are performed annually for hematologic malignancies. It is currently standard practice to provide a prophylactic transfusion of platelets to prevent bleeding when the daily measured platelet count is less than 10 x 109/L. A patient may require up to six adult platelet doses during the post-transplant period. However, the true benefit of prophylactic platelet transfusions in the ASCT setting is unclear and has been called into question by several recent studies.

Prophylactic platelet transfusions may not only be unnecessary, they may be detrimental to the patient. Among blood products, platelet transfusions are associated with the highest risk of both infectious and non-infectious complications: this would include bacterial infections and allergic /febrile reactions. Moreover, the potential overuse of platelet products places a significant burden on a scarce health care resource that is provided through volunteer donations.

An alternative strategy to prevent bleeding and reduce the need for platelet transfusions involves administering Tranexamic Acid, an antifibrinolytic agent to stabilize blood clots and reduce bleeding. Tranexamic Acid is safe and effective in many clinical scenarios, and may be a reasonable alternative for prophylactic platelet transfusions. In the setting of ASCT, Tranexamic Acid may reduce bleeding and further enhance a strategy of therapeutic platelet transfusions where platelets are administered only in the event of active bleeding symptoms.

The effect of prophylactic platelet transfusions and Tranexamic Acid on clinical, quality of life and economic outcomes in patients receiving ASCT is unknown. The primary aim of this research program is to perform a randomized controlled trial to determine whether a strategy of prophylactic Tranexamic Acid (with therapeutic platelet transfusions) is safe and effective compared to prophylactic platelet transfusions in patients undergoing ASCT.

A pilot trial demonstrated feasibility by successfully recruiting 100 patients and these patients will be rolled over into the phase III study. The treatment assignment and bleeding outcomes for these patients remain blinded.

Conditions

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Hematologic Neoplasms

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Prophylactic Platelet Transfusion

Patients allocated to the prophylactic platelet transfusion group will receive a platelet transfusion when the measured platelet count is less than 10 x 109/L.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Prophylactic Tranexamic Acid

Patients allocated to the prophylactic Tranexamic Acid group will receive a standardized routine oral or intravenous dose of Tranexamic Acid 1 gram three times daily.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Tranexamic Acid

Intervention Type DRUG

Patients allocated to the prophylactic Tranexamic Acid group will receive a standardized routine oral or intravenous dose of Tranexamic Acid 1 gram three times daily.

Tranexamic Acid will start when Platelet count is less than 50 x 109/L and continue until platelet engraftment. Patients in this group will not receive routine prophylactic platelet transfusions. Subjects unable to swallow oral Tranexamic Acid pills may have the tablets crushed, administered via nasogastric (NG) tube or the medication will be administered intravenously.

Interventions

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Tranexamic Acid

Patients allocated to the prophylactic Tranexamic Acid group will receive a standardized routine oral or intravenous dose of Tranexamic Acid 1 gram three times daily.

Tranexamic Acid will start when Platelet count is less than 50 x 109/L and continue until platelet engraftment. Patients in this group will not receive routine prophylactic platelet transfusions. Subjects unable to swallow oral Tranexamic Acid pills may have the tablets crushed, administered via nasogastric (NG) tube or the medication will be administered intravenously.

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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SteriMax Inc. Cyclokapron®

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Adults 18 years or older undergoing ASCT for a hematologic malignancy
2. Patients providing written informed consent prior to starting transplantation

Exclusion Criteria

1. A previous WHO grade 2, 3 or 4 bleeding event within the past year
2. A previous or current unprovoked thrombotic event defined as a pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis
3. A current provoked thrombotic event (e.g. catheter-related thrombosis) within last month and/or still requiring anticoagulant treatment.
4. A requirement for therapeutic anticoagulant or anti-platelet drugs during ASCT
5. Active angina (chest pain of presumed cardiac origin either at rest or with activity)
6. Current or previous (within 2 weeks) urinary tract bleeding
7. An inherited hemostatic or thrombotic disorder
8. Coagulopathy defined as a prothrombin time '/International Normalization Ratio (INR) or activated partial thromboplastin time more than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal or fibrinogen less than 2 g/L
9. Previously documented history of refractoriness to platelet transfusion secondary to HLA antibodies (Refractoriness is defined as 2 consecutive ABO matched platelet transfusions with platelet increment of \< 7.5 and the presence of anti-HLA antibodies)
10. Significant renal impairment (creatinine more than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal or a eGFR less than 0.5 mL/min/1.78m2)
11. Pregnant or breast-feeding
12. Unwilling or unable to provide informed consent
13. Participant has acquired disturbances to his/her colour vision (does not apply to congenital colour blindness)
14. Participant has known sensitivity or allergy to Tranexamic Acid or any of its ingredients
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Alberta Cancer Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Alan Tinmouth, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The Ottawa Hospital

Locations

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Tom Baker Cancer Centre

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Cross Cancer Institute

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Eastern Regional Health Authority

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Memorial University

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Hamilton Health Sciences - Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

London Health Sciences Centre

London, Ontario, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

The Ottawa Hospital

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Niagara Health System

St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status WITHDRAWN

Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Saskatchewan Cancer Agency

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Canada

Central Contacts

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Sohail Robert, RN

Role: CONTACT

613-737-8899 ext. 71892

Alan Tinmouth, MD

Role: CONTACT

613-737-8899 ext. 73914

Facility Contacts

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Jason Tay, MD

Role: primary

403-944-1880

Irwindeep Sandhu, MD

Role: primary

Role: backup

David Jones, MD

Role: primary

Kirsty Tompkins, MD

Role: primary

Mahmood El-Sawy, MD

Role: primary

Kylie Lepic, MD

Role: primary

905 521-2100 ext. 62491

Anargyros Xenocostas, MD

Role: primary

519-685-8500 ext. 58631

Alan Tinmouth, MD

Role: primary

613-737-8899 ext. 73914

Ramsha Faisal

Role: primary

905-378-4647 ext. 44266

Silvy Lachance, MD

Role: primary

Mohamed Elementary, MD

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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2068

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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