Stop of Proton-pump Inhibitor Treatment in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis - a Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial

NCT04448028 | Recruiting Phase 4 DMC

• 6 other identifiers: STOPPIT-0101KG20042019-005008-16DRKS000212902023-509863-26-00U1111-1246-0705
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 476
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) are commonly prescribed in an uncritical manner to patients with liver cirrhosis without a clear evidence-based indication. Observational studies suggests that PPI use in cirrhotic patients may be a risk factor for the development of infections, especially spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). A possible explanation are PPI-associated microbiotic shifts leading to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth with subsequently increased bacterial translocation. Furthermore, PPI therapy in cirrhotic patients may lead to an increased risk for pneumonia and Clostridium difficile-infections. However, the evidence is ambiguous, as other published studies found no evidence for an association of PPI use with an increased risk for SBP or pneumonia. Moreover, an association between episodes of hepatic encephalopathy and PPI use has been reported. Infections and hepatic encephalopathy may often lead to a hospitalization of cirrhotic patients and PPI use at discharge has also been associated to early re-hospitalization. While some studies found an association of PPI and increased mortality in cirrhotic patients, other studies could not observe this association. Thus, some of the current evidence suggests an unfavourable risk profile of PPIs in patients with liver cirrhosis. However, this patient population is considered to be at a high risk of gastrointestinal haemorrhage from peptic ulcers. Importantly, patients with liver cirrhosis have an increased mortality after peptic ulcer bleeding as compared to patients without cirrhosis. Therefore, generous PPI use may also have a yet unproven preventive effect against upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The STOPPIT trial is the first prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial investigating the effect of discontinuation of long-term PPI therapy on hospitalized patients with complicated liver cirrhosis with a pre-existing long-term PPI therapy. Importantly, patients with an evidence-based indication for PPI therapy are excluded from the trial. All study participants (n=476) stop their previous PPI treatment and are then randomized (1:1) to receive either placebo (intervention group) or esomeprazole 20mg/day (control group) for 360 days. The primary hypothesis anticipates a delay of re-hospitalisation and/or death (composite endpoint) in patients who discontinue PPI treatment as compared to patients who continue PPI therapy. Secondary objectives include the assessment of mortality, re-hospitalisation rates, infection rates, rate of acute hepatic decompensation and ACLF, as well as rates of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding events in both groups. Impact of prolonged or discontinued PPI therapy on the intestinal microbiota and pharmacoeconomics will be studied as a secondary assessment.

Conditions

Liver Cirrhosis

Keywords

liver cirrhosis; cirrhosis; fibrosis; complications; drugs; safety; side effects; PPI; proton-pump inhibitors; proton pump inhibitors; pantoprazole; esomeprazole; omeprazole; rabeprazole; lansoprazole

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Timepoint of first unplanned re-hospitalization or death (whichever occurs first)

  Within 12 months (360 days) after randomization

Secondary Outcomes (11)

• Timepoint of death

  Within 12 months (360 days) after randomization

• Mortality rate

  360 days after randomization

• Timepoint of first unplanned re-hospitalization

  Within 12 months (360 days) after randomization

• Rate of unplanned re-hospitalizations

  360 days after randomization

• Overall infection rate

  360 days after randomization

Other Outcomes (2)

• Rate of occurence of the safety endpoint (evidence-based indication for open-label re-therapy with PPIs)

  360 days after randomization

• Rate of any (serious) adverse events

  360 days after randomization

Study Arms (2)

Intervention group

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Patients randomized to the intervention group discontinue their pre-existing PPI treatment and replace it with placebo (day 15 to 360). During the first 14 days (dose tapering phase) patients in the intervention group will receive placebo on day 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13 and esomeprazole 20mg on day 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 14, to minimize the risk for gastric acid rebound symptoms.

Drug: Placebo; Drug: Esomeprazole 20mg

Control group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Patients randomized to the control group continue their pre-existing PPI therapy with esomeprazole 20mg/day (day 15 to 360). During the first 14 days (dose tapering phase) patients in the control group receive esomeprazole 20mg/day on day 1 to 14.

Drug: Esomeprazole 20mg

Interventions

Placebo DRUG

Patients with a pre-existing PPI therapy discontinue PPI therapy and replace it with placebo over a period of 346 days after a 14 day dose tapering phase.

Intervention group

Esomeprazole 20mg DRUG

Patients with a pre-existing PPI therapy stop their prior PPI medication and have it replaced with esomeprazole 20mg/day for 360 days.

Also known as: Proton-pump inhibitor, Proton-pump-inhibitor, Proton pump inhibitor, PPI

Control group; Intervention group

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Patients with liver cirrhosis. The diagnosis of liver cirrhosis may be based on histology or a combination of clinical, laboratory and radiological criteria.
• Hospitalization or recent hospitalization (0 to 42 days prior to the baseline visit) with complications of liver cirrhosis.
• Treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) for at least 28 days prior to the screening visit.
• PPI treatment with a single standard dose/day or less for at least 7 days prior to the screening visit.
• Females/males who agree to comply with the applicable contraceptive requirements of the protocol.
• Non-pregnant, non-lactating females.
• Ability to understand the patient information and to personally sign and date the informed consent to participate in the study, before completing any study related procedures.
• The patient is co-operative and available for the entire study.
• Provided written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosis of severe reflux esophagitis (LA grade C or D) by EGD \< 2 months prior to the screening visit without PPI-therapy for at least 8 weeks prior to the screening visit.
• Peptic ulcers diagnosed by EGD \< 28 days prior to the screening visit.
• History of endoscopic therapy for esophageal varices \< 14 days prior to the screening visit.
• Regular intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) on a daily basis with the exemption of acetylsalicylic acid (ASS) 100mg/day orally.
• Hypersensitivity or intolerance to esomeprazole, substituted benzimidazoles or other excipients of the IMP.
• Ongoing therapy with nelfinavir.
• Participation in a clinical trial or use of an IMP within 30 days or five times the half-life of the IMP - whichever is longer - prior to receiving the first dose within this study.
• Positive urine pregnancy test at screening or positive serum pregnancy test before the first treatment or is breast feeding.
• Patient is not willing to use adequate contraceptive precautions during the study and for up to 5 days after the last scheduled dose of IMP.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf: lead
• German Federal Ministry of Education and Research: collaborator
• University Hospital Heidelberg: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

Hamburg, Hamburg, 20246, Germany

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

• Wehmeyer MH, Horvatits T, Buchholz A, Krause L, Walter S, Zapf A, Lohse AW, Kluwe J; STOPPIT-trial group. Stop of proton-pump inhibitor treatment in patients with liver cirrhosis (STOPPIT): study protocol for a prospective, multicentre, controlled, randomized, double-blind trial. Trials. 2022 Apr 12;23(1):302. doi: 10.1186/s13063-022-06232-w.

  PMID: 35414106 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Liver Cirrhosis; Fibrosis

Interventions

Esomeprazole; Proton Pump Inhibitors

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Liver Diseases; Digestive System Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Omeprazole; 2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; Sulfoxides; Sulfur Compounds; Organic Chemicals; Pyridines; Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds; Benzimidazoles; Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds, Fused-Ring; Enzyme Inhibitors; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Pharmacologic Actions; Chemical Actions and Uses

Study Officials

• Ansgar W Lohse, MD

  I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

  STUDY CHAIR

• Johannes Kluwe, MD

  I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

STOPPIT Project Team

CONTACT

+494074100; STOPPIT@uke.de

Malte H Wehmeyer, MD

CONTACT

+494074100; m.wehmeyer@uke.de

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 4
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: QUADRUPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Double-blinding is reached through over-encapsulation of the IMP, as well as identical drug packaging in both study arms.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Study participants are randomized 1:1 to either discontinue their previous PPI therapy and replace it with placebo (intervention group) or continue pre-existing PPI therapy with esomeprazole 20mg/day. Details for the dose tapering phase are described below.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 23, 2020
• First Posted: June 25, 2020
• Study Start: April 22, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2028
• Last Updated: April 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL
• Time Frame: The protocol will be published in an appropriate open access journal after approval of the protocol by the responsible ethic board and competent authority. Patient data will be made accessible upon reasonable request after the publication of the primary results (anticipated 6 months after the end of the trial). There are no planes for limiting the time the data is available on reasonable request.
• Access Criteria: Protocol publication will be open access in an appropriate journal. Anonymized individual patient data will be available upon reasonable request. However, for each respective request, the STOPPIT project team will decide whether the data will be shared or not.

Locations

DE (1)