A Comparison of Flexible Endoscopic Polidocanol Liquid and Foam Sclerotherapy in Cirrhotic Patients With Bleeding From Internal Hemorrhoids

NCT ID: NCT06031740

Last Updated: 2023-09-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 60 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-09-07
• Study Completion Date: 2024-08-31

Brief Summary

Haemorrhoids are the most common proctologic disease, affecting up to 36% of people in the developed world. Sclerotherapy is defined as the injection of sclerosing agents at the apex of the internal hemorrhoidal complex, above the dentate line, leading to scarring, fibrosis, and fixation of the hemorrhoids. Sclerotherapy as a treatment of internal hemorrhoids has been used for a long time by surgeons, using proctoscopic exposure. Even though flexible instruments can be expected to have better manoeuvrability and target site exposure. There is no consensus amongst the major guidelines as to which grade of haemorrhoid that sclerotherapy should be used, whether it is equivalent or inferior to rubber bad ligation (RBL), whether sclerotherapy should be used at all for the treatment of IH, what is the effect of PHT on hemorrhoid prevalence and propensity to bleed, differentiation of internal hemorrhoids from rectal varices, data on EBL or EST in cirrhotics with hemorrhoids, safety of endotherapy with underlying coagulopathy and concerns for infectious complications.

Detailed Description

Hypothesis :- Polidocanol foam sclerotherapy is more effective than liquid polidocanol sclerotherapy, for bleeding cessation from internal hemorrhoids in cirrhotic patients.

Aim and Objective - To compare flexible endoscopic polidocanol liquid and foam sclerotherapy in cirrhotic patients with bleeding from internal hemorrhoids

Primary objective: No recurrence of hemorrhoidal bleeding episodes at 1-week after endotherapy

Secondary objectives:

1. Ano-rectal bleeding at 4-wks, defined by Giamundo score. [Ordinal score 0-4]

2. Ano-rectal bleeding at 8-wks, defined by Giamundo score. [Ordinal score 0-4]

3. Proportion of patients requiring a 2nd treatment session within 8-wks. [Indications: Giamundo score >3, or hemoglobin drop >1g/dL, or requirement of transfusion, or clinician discretion; Time frame: 8-weeks]

4. Proportion of patients with failed endotherapy. [Persistent bleeding with Giamundo score >3 from internal hemorrhoids or treatment related ulcers, after 2nd endotherapy session; Time frame: 8-weeks]

5. Proportion of patients requiring BT for hemorrhoidal bleeding within 8 wks.

6. Relationship of MELD score (4-40) with no recurrence of bleeding at 7d.

7. Adverse events/ local infectious complications after endotherapy. [Time frame: 8-wks]

8. Proportion of cirrhotic patients with bleeding hemorrhoids, with coexisting rectal varices and/or portal colopathy.

Methodology:

• Study population: Patients with cirrhosis, attending outpatient clinics or admitted, with ano-rectal bleeding suspicious to be hemorrhoidal in origin. Investigator will include both compensated and decompensated (acute or chronic) cirrhotics with anorectal bleed, and patients with ACLF with ano rect1al bleed.

Study design: Open label, parallel group, randomized, controlled study.

• Study period: 1 year after IEC approval.
• Sample size with justification: Treatment success at 1-wk, after one liquid sclerotherapy session is expected in 50% cirrhotics.Treatment success after one session of foam sclerotherapy is expected in 85% cirrhotics. Assuming efficacy difference of 35%, significance (α) at 0.5, power of 80%, the two groups should include 27 patients each (Total 54). To compensate for dropouts, final sample size of 60 patients.
• Intervention:
• Cap-assisted, flexible endoscopic treatment in both groups.
• Group 1: Sclerotherapy with 1.5% polidocanol. 2mL (3%) polidocanol = 60mg; maximal dose: 1mL/column and 4mL/session.
• Group 2: Foam sclerotherapy. Tessari's technique; 4mL 3% poilidocanol +16mL air; maximal dose: 2mL/column and 20mL/session.
• Monitoring and assessment:
• Time of index procedure will be considered as baseline (T0). There will be three scheduled evaluation time points: At 1 week (T1), 4 weeks (T2), and at 8 weeks (T3).
• The degree of bleeding, prolapse, pain, quality of life, and patient satisfaction will be recorded at each visit.
• Statistical Analysis: The results will be reported as counts and percentages for categorical variables, and as mean ± SD (range) for continuous normally distributed variables and median (interquartile range [IQR]) for ordinal categorical variables and for continuous non-normally distributed variables. The chi-square test will be used for cross-tabulations. Continuous variables will be compared between the groups by using the Student's t test or the Mann-Whitney test, depending on the data distribution.The time to recurrence will be evaluated as the time elapsed from treatment success to the relapse of bleeding (at least 2 for the Giamundo bleeding score). Kaplan-Meier curves will be used to evaluate freedom from recurrence; statistical comparison of survival curves will be carried out by the log-rank test.The changes in the Giamundo score, and HDSS scores over time will be analyzed with the Friedman test, because these scores are not normally distributed. The results associated with a p-value <0.05 will be considered statistically significant.
• Adverse effects:
• The AEs will be classified as none, remote, possible, probable, or not assessable based on the relation with the sclerosant.
• Specific AEs to report:-

1. Bleeding requiring Blood Tx, with hemodynamic instability or need for urgent surgery

2. External thrombosis requiring surgical intervention

3. Occurrence of urinary retention

4. Prostatic infection

5. Sexual dysfunction in men

6. Perineal abscess

7. Sepsis

• Stopping rule of study:
• Study will be stopped in case of life-threatening adverse event judged to be related to the protocol intervention at department review meeting.

(c) Expected outcome of the project:

• Establishment of an effective treatment protocol for hemorrhoidal bleeding in cirrhotic patients.

Conditions

Liver Cirrhosis; Internal Hemorrhoid

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Sclerotherapy with 1.5% polidocanol.

2mL (3%) polidocanol = 60mg; maximal dose: 1mL/column and 4mL/session.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Sclerotherapy with 1.5% polidocanol

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

2mL (3%) polidocanol = 60mg; maximal dose: 1mL/column and 4mL/session.

• Group 2: Foam sclerotherapy.

Foam sclerotherapy

Tessari's technique; 4mL 3% poilidocanol +16mL air; maximal dose: 2mL/column and 20mL/session.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Foam sclerotherapy.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Tessari's technique; 4mL 3% poilidocanol +16mL air; maximal dose: 2mL/column and 20mL/session.

Interventions

Sclerotherapy with 1.5% polidocanol

2mL (3%) polidocanol = 60mg; maximal dose: 1mL/column and 4mL/session.

• Group 2: Foam sclerotherapy.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Foam sclerotherapy.

Tessari's technique; 4mL 3% poilidocanol +16mL air; maximal dose: 2mL/column and 20mL/session.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Cirrhotic/ACLF patients with ano-rectal bleeding, either ongoing or within last 1-week, judged to be hemorrhoidal in origin based on clinical features and endoscopy evaluation.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Coagulopathy threshold of INR >2.0 and/or platelet count <50,000/mm3.

2. Antiplatelet or anticoagulants use.

3. Immunosuppressive medications (including steroids >20mg/d or equivalent for >2 weeks).

4. Grade IV internal hemorrhoids.

5. Thrombosed or strangulated IH or EH.

6. Previous EST or RBL in last 1-year.

7. Co-existing ano-rectal diseases like perianal abscess, stricture, fistula, anal malignancies, ano-rectal stenosis, radiation proctitis, or proctitis.

8. Patients not capable of understanding and signing the informed consent.

9. Pregnancy.

10. Bronchial Asthma.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 100 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, India

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences (ILBS)

New Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi, India

Countries

India

Central Contacts

Dr Srajit Singh, MD

Role: CONTACT

srajitsinghparmar@gmail.com

01146300000

Facility Contacts

Dr Srajit Singh, MD

Role: primary

srajitsinghparmar@gmail.com

01146300000

Other Identifiers

ILBS-Cirrhosis-63

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id