Polidocanol Foam in Hemorrhoidal Disease in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis

NCT ID: NCT05807425

Last Updated: 2023-04-11

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

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

Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

PHASE2/PHASE3

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-03-31

Study Completion Date

2023-12-31

Brief Summary

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

Hemorrhoidal disease (HD) is a common health problem, affecting up to 38,9% of adult population. HD is also a common finding in up to 36% of cirrhotic patients, as hemorrhoidal plexus is a possible site of portosystemic venous anastomosis. Cirrhotic patients represent a group often neglected in clinical trials so, little is known about the optimal treatment for HD these patients. The objective of this study is to prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment of grade I, II and III internal HD with polidocanol foam in cirrhotic patients.

Detailed Description

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

Hemorrhoidal disease (HD) is a common health problem, affecting up to 38,9% of adult population. Despite being a benign condition, associated symptoms like bleeding, pain, prolapsing, swelling, itching, and mucus soiling impact considerably on patients' quality of life. HD is also a common finding in up to 36% of cirrhotic patients, as hemorrhoidal plexus is a possible site of portosystemic venous anastomosis. Despite portal hypertension does not increase the prevalence of hemorrhoids, elevated portal venous pressure, with a not so rare contribution of coagulopathy, may result in massive, life-threatening hemorrhoidal bleeding, unlike the normal population. Besides, internal HD bleeding is the most frequently identified cause of bleeding with origin on the lower gastrointestinal tract among cirrhotic patients with severe hematochezia .

HD treatment can be grouped into conservative (diet, lifestyle changes, laxatives, anti-inflammatory drugs, phlebotonics), office-based (sclerotherapy, ligation, photocoagulation, laser photocoagulation, among others) and surgical (hemorrhoidectomy, hemorrhoidopexy). The choice of therapy should be oriented by the Goligher's classification, or a symptom score such as Rørvik's Hemorrhoidal Disease Symptom Score (HDSS).

Cirrhotic patients represent a group often neglected in clinical trials so, little is known about the optimal treatment for HD these patients. Surgical treatment with stapled hemorrhoidopexy has been described in cirrhotic patients as a feasible and safe approach, but with up to 46,7% of the procedures complicated with postoperative staple-line bleeding, although all of them managed with conservative treatment without reoperation or death. Recently, Ashraf et al compared hemorrhoidectomy performed using rubber band ligation (RBL) with conventional hemorrhoidectomy in 40 randomized patients with liver disease and diagnosed with grade I, II, or III HD. Intraoperative blood loss was lower in RBL group (1.2 ± 1.6 ml vs 22.2 ± 6.58 ml, p=0,001), as well as operative time (9.00 ± 2.449 min vs 24.100 ± 3.669 min, p=0,001). Importantly, postoperative pain (35% vs 100%, p=0,001), bleeding (15% vs 45%, p=0,022) and urine retention (20% vs 55%, p=0,011) were lower in the RBL group, along with time of hospital stay (8.6 ± 2.54 h vs 60.65 ± 41.93, p=0,002) and time of wound healing (16.85 ± 1.87 days vs 31.00 ± 3.57 days, p=0,003).

Bearing in mind the high rate of surgical complications in cirrhotic patients, these results suggest that office-based treatments, may be the preferred treatment for cirrhotic patients with HD grades I to III. Awad et al, compared the efficacy of endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) to RBL in the treatment of bleeding internal hemorrhoids in 120 adult patients with liver cirrhosis. Both techniques were highly effective in the control of bleeding with a low rebleeding \[10% in the EBL group and 13.33% in the EIS group\] and recurrence \[20% in the EBL group and 20% in the EIS group\] rates; also, EBL had significantly less pain and higher patient satisfaction than EIS. However, these authors have used liquid sclerosing agents (either ethanolamine oleate 5% or N-butyl cyanoacrylate). A recent portuguese study by Fernandes et al has evaluated the efficacy and safety of a sclerosing agent, polidocanol, foam injection in 2000 consecutive patients with prolapsed hemorrhoids (grades II/III/IV). This technique showed high efficacy (98%) and tolerability (92% with mild/no pain) with only 0,7% of serious complications (major bleeding n=3; urinary retention n=4; infection/suppuration requiring surgery n=2). Also, in this cohort, 210 patients (10,5%) were under anticoagulation or double antiplatelet therapy) and only 2 of these patients presented clinically significant bleeding. The authors conclude that polidocanol foam should be used as first-line treatment of most hemorrhoid patient, including those under anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy. Nevertheless, no cirrhotic patients were included, so results cannot be generalized to this particular high-risk group.

The objective of this study is to prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment of grade I, II and III internal hemorrhoidal disease with polidocanol foam in cirrhotic patients.

Conditions

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

Hemorrhoids Liver Cirrhosis

Study Design

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

Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

During the intervention period the participants are observed at 3-week intervals (maximum of 3 sessions). The required number of sessions (maximum of 3) is determined by clinical and anoscopic evaluation (if the participant is non-symptomatic and/or there is no significant hemorrhoidal disease on anoscopy, the patient will not be a candidate for additional instrumental therapy moving directly to the follow-up period). After the intervention period, a one-year follow-up is scheduled with medical appointments performed every 3 months.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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

Polidocanol foam sclerotherapy

A cohort of cirrhotic patients with hemorrhoidal disease will be treated with polidocanol foam sclerotherapy.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Polidocanol foam sclerotherapy

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

The preparation of the foam is done according to the Tessari's technique using 2 disposable 20ml syringe, a three-way tap and a 10cm reusable extender adapted to intravenous needle. The sclerosant is applied according to the Blanchard's technique through a disposable transparent anoscope with the patient in jack-knife (knee-chest) position. In each session treatment can be performed on more than one hemorrhoidal cushion. The maximum dose per treatment session is 20ml (mixture of 4ml of polidocanol 3% with 16ml of air).

Interventions

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

Polidocanol foam sclerotherapy

The preparation of the foam is done according to the Tessari's technique using 2 disposable 20ml syringe, a three-way tap and a 10cm reusable extender adapted to intravenous needle. The sclerosant is applied according to the Blanchard's technique through a disposable transparent anoscope with the patient in jack-knife (knee-chest) position. In each session treatment can be performed on more than one hemorrhoidal cushion. The maximum dose per treatment session is 20ml (mixture of 4ml of polidocanol 3% with 16ml of air).

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

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

Inclusion Criteria

* Adult patients with liver cirrhosis and symptomatic HD grades I to III
* Refractory to conservative therapy (dietary modification, intestinal transit modifiers, topical and phlebotonics), during a period of 4 weeks

Exclusion Criteria

* Known allergy to polidocanol
* Pregnant and lactating women
* Inflammatory bowel disease
* Other concomitant symptomatic perianal disease
* History of office-based or surgical treatment of hemorrhoidal disease in the last 6 months
* Immunosuppression
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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

Universidade do Porto

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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

Paulo Sérgio Durão Salgueiro

Principal investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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

Paulo Salgueiro, MD PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António

Locations

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

Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto

Porto, , Portugal

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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

Portugal

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Paulo Salgueiro, MD PhD

Role: CONTACT

00351222077500

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Paulo Salgueiro, MD

Role: primary

00351917209020

References

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

Misra SP, Dwivedi M, Misra V. Prevalence and factors influencing hemorrhoids, anorectal varices, and colopathy in patients with portal hypertension. Endoscopy. 1996 May;28(4):340-5. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-1005477.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8813499 (View on PubMed)

Riss S, Weiser FA, Schwameis K, Riss T, Mittlbock M, Steiner G, Stift A. The prevalence of hemorrhoids in adults. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2012 Feb;27(2):215-20. doi: 10.1007/s00384-011-1316-3. Epub 2011 Sep 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21932016 (View on PubMed)

Hosking SW, Smart HL, Johnson AG, Triger DR. Anorectal varices, haemorrhoids, and portal hypertension. Lancet. 1989 Feb 18;1(8634):349-52. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(89)91724-8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 2563507 (View on PubMed)

Jacobs DM, Bubrick MP, Onstad GR, Hitchcock CR. The relationship of hemorrhoids to portal hypertension. Dis Colon Rectum. 1980 Nov-Dec;23(8):567-9. doi: 10.1007/BF02988998.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6970115 (View on PubMed)

Camus M, Khungar V, Jensen DM, Ohning GV, Kovacs TO, Jutabha R, Ghassemi KA, Machicado GA, Dulai GS. Origin, Clinical Characteristics and 30-Day Outcomes of Severe Hematochezia in Cirrhotics and Non-cirrhotics. Dig Dis Sci. 2016 Sep;61(9):2732-40. doi: 10.1007/s10620-016-4198-y. Epub 2016 Jun 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27286877 (View on PubMed)

Hull TL. Surgery of the anus, rectum and colon. Gastroenterology. 2000 Oct;119(4):1173-5. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5085(00)80038-4. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11040208 (View on PubMed)

Rorvik HD, Styr K, Ilum L, McKinstry GL, Dragesund T, Campos AH, Brandstrup B, Olaison G. Hemorrhoidal Disease Symptom Score and Short Health ScaleHD: New Tools to Evaluate Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life in Hemorrhoidal Disease. Dis Colon Rectum. 2019 Mar;62(3):333-342. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000001234.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30451751 (View on PubMed)

Huang WS, Lin PY, Chin CC, Yeh CH, Hsieh CC, Chang TS, Wang JY. Stapled hemorrhoidopexy for prolapsed hemorrhoids in patients with liver cirrhosis; a preliminary outcome for 8-case experience. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2007 Sep;22(9):1083-9. doi: 10.1007/s00384-007-0271-5. Epub 2007 Mar 2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17334772 (View on PubMed)

Awad AE, Soliman HH, Saif SA, Darwish AM, Mosaad S, Elfert AA. A prospective randomised comparative study of endoscopic band ligation versus injection sclerotherapy of bleeding internal haemorrhoids in patients with liver cirrhosis. Arab J Gastroenterol. 2012 Jun;13(2):77-81. doi: 10.1016/j.ajg.2012.03.008. Epub 2012 Apr 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22980596 (View on PubMed)

Fernandes V, Fonseca J. Polidocanol Foam Injected at High Doses with Intravenous Needle: The (Almost) Perfect Treatment of Symptomatic Internal Hemorrhoids. GE Port J Gastroenterol. 2019 May;26(3):169-175. doi: 10.1159/000492202. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31192285 (View on PubMed)

Salgueiro P, Garrido M, Santos RG, Pedroto I, Castro-Pocas FM. Polidocanol Foam Sclerotherapy Versus Rubber Band Ligation in Hemorrhoidal Disease Grades I/II/III: Randomized Trial. Dis Colon Rectum. 2022 Jul 1;65(7):e718-e727. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000002117. Epub 2022 Nov 22.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34840294 (View on PubMed)

Salgueiro P, Rei A, Garrido M, Rosa B, Oliveira AM, Pereira-Guedes T, Morais S, Castro-Pocas F. Polidocanol foam sclerotherapy in the treatment of hemorrhoidal disease in patients with bleeding disorders: a multicenter, prospective, cohort study. Tech Coloproctol. 2022 Aug;26(8):615-625. doi: 10.1007/s10151-022-02600-5. Epub 2022 Feb 25.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 35217937 (View on PubMed)

Neves S, Falcao D, Povo A, Castro-Pocas F, Oliveira J, Salgueiro P. 3% polidocanol foam sclerotherapy versus hemorrhoidal artery ligation with recto anal repair in hemorrhoidal disease grades II-III: a randomized, pilot trial. Rev Esp Enferm Dig. 2023 Mar;115(3):115-120. doi: 10.17235/reed.2022.8568/2022.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 35638762 (View on PubMed)

Salgueiro P, Ramos MI, Castro-Pocas F, Libanio D. Office-Based Procedures in the Management of Hemorrhoidal Disease: Rubber Band Ligation versus Sclerotherapy - Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. GE Port J Gastroenterol. 2022 Mar 8;29(6):409-419. doi: 10.1159/000522171. eCollection 2022 Nov.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36545183 (View on PubMed)

Salgueiro P, Caetano AC, Oliveira AM, Rosa B, Mascarenhas-Saraiva M, Ministro P, Amaro P, Godinho R, Coelho R, Gaio R, Fernandes S, Fernandes V, Castro-Pocas F. Portuguese Society of Gastroenterology Consensus on the Diagnosis and Management of Hemorrhoidal Disease. GE Port J Gastroenterol. 2020 Feb;27(2):90-102. doi: 10.1159/000502260. Epub 2019 Sep 5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32266306 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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

2021.051(041-DEFI/042-CE)

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

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