Intravenousimmunoglobulin (IVIg) for the Treatment of Inflammatory Myopathies

NCT00001261 | Completed Phase 2

• 2 other identifiers: 90013990-N-0139
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 120
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Inflammatory myopathies are a group of muscle diseases characterized by muscle weakness, high levels of muscle enzymes in the blood, and inflammation of the tissue surrounding muscle fibers (endomysium). The diseases making up the inflammatory myopathies are grouped into three subsets: I) Polymyositis (PM) II) Dermatomyositis (DM) III) Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) Inflammatory myopathies are thought to be autoimmune processes and are treated with steroids and immunosuppressive drugs. However, many patients who initially respond to these treatments develop resistance to the therapy or experience side effects causing the treatments to be stopped. Researchers believe that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) may provide patients with PM, DM, and IBM a safer and more effective alternative to standard therapies for the diseases. IVIg is a drug that has been used successfully to treat other immune-related diseases of the nervous system. The study will take 60 patients and divide them into two groups. Group one will receive 2 injections of IVIg once a month for three months. Group two will receive 2 injections of placebo "inactive injection of sterile water" once a month for three months. Following the three months of treatment, group one will begin taking the placebo and group two will begin taking IVIg for an additional 3 months. The drug will be considered effective if patients receiving it experience a significant improvement (\>15%) in muscle strength.

Conditions

Dermatomyositis; Inclusion Body Myositis; Polymyositis

Keywords

Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis; Muscle Immunopathology; Intravenous High-Dose Immunoglobulin; Inclusion Body Myositis

Interventions

Gamma Globulin DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Selected patients should have PM, IBM or DM.
• Specifically they should have a) proximal muscle weakness; b) no evidence of clinical, histological or family history of another neuromuscular illness; c) elevation of muscle enzymes during the course of the disease; d) typical skin rash in case of DM; and e) diagnostic muscle biopsy.
• Suitable candidates for IVIg should be patients with active, bonefide disease who:
• have been treated with steroids but had: a) no response or incomplete response (as defined by continued muscle weakness) to high-dose therapy or b) a good response to steroids but inability to taper the dose without a flare of disease activity or c) unacceptable steroid side effects such as gastrointestinal hemorrhages, osteonecrosis, hyperglycemia, extreme weight gain etc., and
• have been treated with one immunosuppressive drug (such as azathioprine, Methotrexate, Cyclophosphamide, Cyclosporine) but without benefit or with unacceptable side effects.

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnant or nursing women (confirmed by a screening pregnancy test).
• Critically ill patients such as those requiring intravenous pressors for maintenance of cardiac output due to severe cardiomyopathy, patients with respiratory insufficiency and patients with severe muscle weakness requiring help for basic self care.
• Children below age 18.
• Patients with severe renal or hepatic disease, severe COPD or coronary artery disease or other systemic medical problems often seen when PM or DM is associated with severe cases of lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma.
• Patients with known allergic reaction to IVIg.
• Serum IgA less than 11mg/dl.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Dalakas MC. Polymyositis, dermatomyositis and inclusion-body myositis. N Engl J Med. 1991 Nov 21;325(21):1487-98. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199111213252107. No abstract available.

  PMID: 1658649 BACKGROUND

• Dalakas M. Treatment of polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 1989 Dec;1(4):443-9. doi: 10.1097/00002281-198901040-00005. No abstract available.

  PMID: 2702045 BACKGROUND

• Roifman CM, Schaffer FM, Wachsmuth SE, Murphy G, Gelfand EW. Reversal of chronic polymyositis following intravenous immune serum globulin therapy. JAMA. 1987 Jul 24-31;258(4):513-5. doi: 10.1001/jama.1987.03400040111034. No abstract available.

  PMID: 3599350 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Dermatomyositis; Myositis, Inclusion Body; Polymyositis

Interventions

gamma-Globulins

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Myositis; Muscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Connective Tissue Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Skin Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Immunoglobulins; Immunoproteins; Blood Proteins; Proteins; Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins; Serum Globulins; Globulins

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 2
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Sponsor Type: NIH

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 3, 1999
• First Posted: November 4, 1999
• Study Start: May 1, 1990
• Study Completion: July 1, 2002
• Last Updated: March 4, 2008

Record last verified: 2002-07

Locations

US (1)