Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Different Dosages of Cortisone Compared to Placebo in Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2019-09-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Although cortisone is widely used in the treatment of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis, the best dosage is not known. Therefore we will compare two standard prednisolon starting dosages and placebo in the treatment of patients with early active rheumatoid arthritis on the background of the established therapy with methotrexate. In total 450 patients will be included into the study. Two different treatment arms starting with 10 or 60 mg of prednisolone, and one placebo arm. Duration of intervention is 12 weeks. In parallel, all patients start medication with methotrexate, usual dosage 15 mg/week. Primary efficacy endpoint is progression of radiographic damage after one year compared to baseline. Safety monitoring is performed.

• Phase: Phase 3
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. H.J. Trampisch
• Collaborator: Ruhr University of Bochum
• Treatments: Methylprednisolone; Methylprednisolone acetate; Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate; Prednisolone; Prednisolone acetate; Prednisolone hemisuccinate; Prednisolone phosphate

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis based on expert opinion according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2009 criteria (Hawker 2009)

• disease duration < 3 years

• active disease: disease activity score (DAS) 28 erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (Prevoo et al 1995) > 4 plus ≥ 3 swollen joints

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) (except for hydroxychloroquine or sulfasalazine or methotrexate during the last four weeks before screening)

• Clinically relevant comorbidity:

• concurrent liver disease (ALT > 2 times upper limit of normal),

• active hepatitis B or C viral infection,

• renal disease (creatinine clearance < 30 ml/minute),

• clinically relevant haematological disease due to the judgement of the rheumatologist,

• uncontrolled diabetes mellitus,

• uncontrolled arterial hypertension,

• relevant immunodeficiency incl. HIV-infection,

• clinically significant pulmonary fibrosis,

• history of malignant melanoma,

• complicated or refractory gastrointestinal ulcers,

• presence or history of severe infections,

• uncontrolled increased intraocular pressure,

• pregnancy or planned pregnancy,

• non-compliance,

• age < 18 years