NCT02008565

Brief Summary

The study is a multi-center, randomized, placebo controlled trial with participants randomized into one of four groups:

  1. 1.placebo/usual care (educational pamphlet)
  2. 2.loperamide/usual care (educational pamphlet)
  3. 3.placebo/anal exercises with biofeedback
  4. 4.loperamide/anal exercises with biofeedback

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
300

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for phase_3

Timeline
Completed

Started Feb 2014

Geographic Reach
1 country

9 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

December 6, 2013

Completed
5 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

December 11, 2013

Completed
2 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

February 1, 2014

Completed
2.2 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

May 1, 2016

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

May 1, 2016

Completed
2.6 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

November 20, 2018

Completed
Last Updated

November 20, 2018

Status Verified

October 1, 2018

Enrollment Period

2.2 years

First QC Date

December 6, 2013

Results QC Date

February 16, 2018

Last Update Submit

October 22, 2018

Conditions

Keywords

Fecal incontinenceLoperamideanal exercisesbiofeedback

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Change From Baseline St. Mark's (Vaizey) Score

    The primary outcome measure for all study arms is the change from baseline in St. Mark's (Vaizey) Score 24 weeks after treatment initiation to compare the marginal outcomes of anal exercise with biofeedback to usual care and loperamide to placebo. The St. Mark's (Vaizey) score, published in 1999, is commonly used in clinical studies and reports and was based on the Jorge-Wexner score but added two further items for assessment: the use of constipating medication and the presence of fecal urgency. Minimum score is 0 = perfect continence; maximum score is 24 = totally incontinent.

    12 and 24 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (12)

  • Change in Quality of Life on Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventory (CRADI)

    12 and 24 weeks

  • Change in Colorectal-Anal Subscale of the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire Short Form (CRAIQ) Score

    12 and 24 weeks

  • Change From Baseline Accident-free Days at 12 and 24 Weeks

    12 and 24 weeks

  • Change From Baseline Pad-change Leaks Per Day at 12 and 24 Weeks

    12 and 24 weeks

  • Change From Baseline Pad-change Leaks Per Week at 12 and 24 Weeks

    12 and 24 weeks

  • +7 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (4)

Placebo - Exercise plus Biofeedback

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Placebo and biofeedback intervention. Placebo doses range from 2mg every other day to 8mg per day. Capsules are taken by mouth once a day for 24 weeks. Anal exercises with biofeedback intervention is a total of six sessions with trained personnel occurring every 2 weeks over a 12-week period. Sessions are held at the following study visits: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 week visits.

Drug: PlaceboBehavioral: Anal exercises with biofeedback

Loperamide - Exercise plus Biofeedback

EXPERIMENTAL

Loperamide and biofeedback intervention. Loperamide doses range from 2mg every other day to 8mg per day. Capsules are taken by mouth once a day for 24 weeks. Anal exercises with biofeedback intervention is a total of six sessions with trained personnel occurring every 2 weeks over a 12-week period. Sessions are held at the following study visits: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 week visits.

Drug: LoperamideBehavioral: Anal exercises with biofeedback

Placebo - Education Only

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Placebo and education (usual care). Placebo doses range from 2mg every other day to 8mg per day. Capsules are taken by mouth once a day for 24 weeks. Participants receive education and a NIDDK Bowel Control Educational pamphlet.

Drug: PlaceboBehavioral: Usual Care

Loperamide - Education Only

EXPERIMENTAL

Loperamide and education (usual care). Loperamide doses range from 2mg every other day to 8mg per day. Capsules are taken by mouth once a day for 24 weeks. Participants receive education and a NIDDK Bowel Control Educational pamphlet.

Drug: LoperamideBehavioral: Usual Care

Interventions

Participants randomized to the loperamide group will begin with 2mg of loperamide/day. The participant will be administered the Patient Global Symptom Control rating scale (PGSC) to determine dose escalation. Participants who report inadequate control of stool leakage on the PGSC will be instructed to increase the daily dose of loperamide by 2 mg up to a maximum of 8 mg per day (1-4 capsules). Bothersome adverse events and resulting dose reduction will be based exclusively on the result of the Patient Global Tolerability Scale (PGTS). The daily dose will be decreased by 2mg to a minimum of 2mg every other day. If a PGSC score indicates inadequate control of stool leakage combined with a PGTS score indicating bothersome side effects, the participant will discontinue the study medication.

Also known as: Imodium
Loperamide - Education OnlyLoperamide - Exercise plus Biofeedback

Participants randomized to the placebo arm will begin the a dose of one capsule per day and will be dose increased or dose decreased using the same algorithm described for the loperamide arm.

Also known as: Inactive Drug
Placebo - Education OnlyPlacebo - Exercise plus Biofeedback

Participants will receive a formal anal exercises training program that can be easily applied in an office setting with minimal participant burden. Participants will attend six anal exercises with biofeedback sessions with trained personnel over a 12-week period for the 24-week study. Sessions will include introduction, standard patient education, and exercises using anal manometry-assisted biofeedback introducing concepts such as shaping, generalization and termination. The protocol uses strength and sensory training including urge resistance training. During the final twelve weeks, participants will perform anal exercises on their own. The sessions with interventionists will occur every other week for 12 weeks (total 6 supervised sessions).

Loperamide - Exercise plus BiofeedbackPlacebo - Exercise plus Biofeedback
Usual CareBEHAVIORAL

Usual care consists of patients receiving an educational pamphlet on fecal incontinence created by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Loperamide - Education OnlyPlacebo - Education Only

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexfemale
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Age ≥18 years
  • Fecal incontinence defined as any uncontrolled loss of liquid or solid fecal material that occurs at least monthly over the last 3 months that is bothersome enough to desire treatment

You may not qualify if:

  • Stool consistency over the last 3 months that includes items 1 or 7 based on the Bristol Stool form scale
  • Current or past diagnosis of colorectal or anal malignancy
  • Diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease
  • Current or history of rectovaginal fistula or cloacal defect
  • Rectal prolapse (mucosal or full thickness)
  • Prior removal or diversion of any portion of colon or rectum
  • Prior pelvic floor or abdominal radiation
  • Refusal or inability to provide written consent
  • Inability to conduct telephone interviews conducted in English or Spanish
  • Fecal impaction by exam
  • Untreated pelvic organ prolapse beyond the hymen; Patients with prolapse beyond the hymen who are currently using a pessary are eligible
  • Incontinence only to flatus
  • Has taken any loperamide (Imodium®) or diphenoxylate plus atropine (Lomotil®) in the last 30 days
  • Previously received and failed treatment of fecal incontinence using loperamide (Imodium®) or diphenoxylate plus atropine (Lomotil®) over the last 3 months
  • Current supervised anal sphincter exercise/pelvic floor muscle training with biofeedback
  • +8 more criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (9)

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama, 35233, United States

Location

University of California at San Diego

La Jolla, California, 92037-0974, United States

Location

Kaiser San Diego

San Diego, California, 92110, United States

Location

University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, United States

Location

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina, 27707, United States

Location

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States

Location

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19118, United States

Location

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States

Location

Brown/Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island, 02903, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Jelovsek JE, Markland AD, Whitehead WE, Barber MD, Newman DK, Rogers RG, Dyer K, Visco AG, Sutkin G, Zyczynski HM, Carper B, Meikle SF, Sung VW, Gantz MG; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. Controlling faecal incontinence in women by performing anal exercises with biofeedback or loperamide: a randomised clinical trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 Sep;4(9):698-710. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(19)30193-1. Epub 2019 Jul 15.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Fecal Incontinence

Interventions

LoperamideBiofeedback, Psychology

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Rectal DiseasesIntestinal DiseasesGastrointestinal DiseasesDigestive System Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

PiperidinesHeterocyclic Compounds, 1-RingHeterocyclic CompoundsMind-Body TherapiesComplementary TherapiesTherapeuticsBehavior TherapyPsychotherapyBehavioral Disciplines and ActivitiesFeedback, Psychological

Results Point of Contact

Title
Marie Gantz
Organization
RTI International

Study Officials

  • J E Jelovsek

    The Cleveland Clinic

    STUDY CHAIR
  • Matthew Barber

    The Cleveland Clinic

    STUDY CHAIR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
No
Restrictive Agreement
No

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 3
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
FACTORIAL
Sponsor Type
NETWORK
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

December 6, 2013

First Posted

December 11, 2013

Study Start

February 1, 2014

Primary Completion

May 1, 2016

Study Completion

May 1, 2016

Last Updated

November 20, 2018

Results First Posted

November 20, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-10

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations