1.3.1 Aim of the study
The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of tetracosactide (Synacthen®) in the treatment of post-dural puncture syndrome for patients who received neuraxial anesthesia during childbirth.
Our working hypothesis is that a single intravenous infusion of tetracosactide may avoid the need for epidural blood patch. To challenge this hypothesis we compare two groups: the study group receives an infusion of 1 mg of tetracosactide whereas the control group receives a placebo (0.9% saline). Both groups receive standard analgesic treatment and epidural blood patch if needed (after a minimum 24 h following the injection of the experimental treatment).
1.3.2 Trial Design
The study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm, double centers trial. It is conducted in two sites of a French university hospital. Patient enrollment started in October of 2016 and was expected to be completed within 2 years after the start of the study.
Once participants are enrolled in the study with informed consent, they are randomized into the two study arms. The study group receives 1 mg of tetracosactide intravenously whereas the control group receives 0.9% saline. Outcomes will be measured between 2 and 6 hours, at 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, and between day 13 and 17 post-randomization. Adverse events are collected throughout the study.
1.3.3 Primary endpoint
The primary endpoint of the study is the rate of epidural blood patch within a 15-day follow-up period.
1.3.4 Secondary endpoints
The secondary endpoints include: duration of headache, intensity of headache (11-point numerical rating scale, NRS) (46), the need for analgesic treatments (type, delay after study treatment, and duration), appearance of associated features (neck stiffness, tinnitus, hypoacusia, photophobia, diplopia, dizziness or nausea), activity limitation (qualitatively as described in Figure 1, and quantitatively on a scale from 0 to 100%; both self-assessed), hospital length of stay, the number of epidural blood patches performed per patient, and tolerance. Tolerance is assessed by the collection of all side effects (type, frequency, severity): any abnormality of clinical examination occurring during or after the infusion.
1.3.5 Population
Number of patients needed
The sample size calculation is based on a previous study that investigated tetracosactide in PDPH (39) and, retrospectively, on observational data from our hospital database. The primary end point is the rate of blood patch in the two groups. We defined the efficacy of tetracosactide as a decrease in blood patch use by 30% in the tetracosactide group, a clinically relevant difference reducing the need for invasive treatment and replacing it with an easily administered treatment that has a known safety profile.
In our center, 90% of patients with PDPH after epidural analgesia receive a blood patch. The study reported by Hakim (39) found a greater than 50% decrease in PDPH incidence and blood patch use after prophylactic treatment with tetracosactide, in a context of epidural analgesia. We therefore need to include 44 subjects in each group, given power of 0.80 and type I error of 0.025 (α = 2.5% Fisher’s exact test, power of 80%, p1 = 0.9; p2 = 0.6), to reduce blood patch requirement by 30%. Thus a total of 88 patients need to be randomized.
Eligibility
Patients eligible for enrolment in this clinical trial are those suffering from PDPH due to epidural analgesia, combined spinal-epidural analgesia, or spinal anesthesia for childbirth.
The headache should be as follows:
- within five days after delivery
- relieved in the supine position and/or worse while sitting or standing
- intense (NRS >3/10)
- with or without associated with neck stiffness, tinnitus, hypoacusia, photophobia, visual impairment, nausea or vomiting
- having eliminated differential diagnosis: pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, cerebral venous thrombosis, migraine.
Patients must be older than 18 years of age and benefit from healthcare insurance. They also have to provide a written informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria are as follows:
- Diplopia (which requires an epidural blood patch without delay)
- Contraindication to ACTH: uncontrolled arterial hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, acute psychosis, infectious diseases
- Contraindication to tetracosactide:
- currently receiving a drug associated with an increased risk of Torsades de Pointes: astemizole, bepridil, IV erythromycin, halofantrine, pentamidine, sparfloxacine, sultopride, terfenadine, vincamine
- Patient who received a live vaccine in the month prior to inclusion
- Previous history of hypersensitivity to tetracosactide
- Patient who has previously received tetracosactide since childbirth
- Contraindication to epidural blood patch: HIV, HVC, leukocytosis, fever
- Pre-eclampsia or eclampsia during this pregnancy (may be confounding for the etiology of headache)
- Patient who has already received a prophylactic blood patch (at the time of accidental dural puncture diagnosis)
- Under 18 years old or adult under guardianship
- Mental disorder which does not allow informed consent
- Patients who are enrolled in another clinical trial
Consent
When PDPH diagnosis is made by the anesthesiologist, screening of patients for inclusion and exclusion criteria is performed. The investigator then presents the study to the patients. Written information is provided to the patients. Final inclusion occurs after a cooling-off period and a written informed consent is signed by the patients.
1.3.6 Randomization, blinding, and data management
The anesthesiologist checks patient inclusion criteria and the absence of exclusion criteria. After signing informed consent, patients are randomized online using the ClinSight-Online software program (Ennov society, Paris, France). The randomization is performed by block stratification according to site. Patients are allocated to a treatment number. The study is performed as a double-blinded study. An anesthetic nurse prepares the treatment according to the assigned number to which the rest of the healthcare team is blinded. Patient data are collected on electronic case report forms (eCRFs). The promoter will independently monitor both locations of this multisite trial every ten patients.
1.3.7 Intervention protocols
During the post-partum period, patients are usually followed by midwives. In case of headache, whether an accidental dural puncture was diagnosed or not, the anesthesiologist is warned by midwives. Therefore any symptomatic patient is examined by an anesthesiologist. All the anesthesiologists of the maternity are study’s investigators.
Patients are enrolled when diagnosed with PDPH based on the clinical evaluation of the anesthesiologist. They are randomized to receive intravenous tetracosactide or placebo.
In the study group, patients receive a single intravenous injection of 1 mg tetracosactide (Synacthen®, Sigma-Tau laboratory, Roma, Italy). Four vials containing 0.25mg tetracosactide (in 1 ml of solvent) are reconstituted in 100 ml of normal saline. This solution is infused intravenously over 20 min. In the control group, patients receive an equal volume of normal saline (0.9% NaCl): 104 ml over 20 min.
Standard analgesic medication is also initiated in both groups from the beginning of headache as concomitant treatments, as follows:
- For mild headache (NRS<3/10): 1 g paracetamol and 400 mg ibuprofen orally every 6 hours
- For moderate headache (NRS = 3): nefopam 20 mg and/or a combination of paracetamol 300 mg and opium 10 mg is given in addition every 4 hours
- For severe headache (NRS≥4) morphine 10 mg orally every 4 h can be added as required
These treatments are adjusted daily.
The primary and secondary endpoint, including tolerance criteria are evaluated blindly during infusion of study treatment, 2–6 hours later, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, and between 13 and 17 days post-treatment by the investigator. The latter is conducted by phone. The total duration of the study is therefore 13 to 17 days. Any alternative analgesic interventions required after receiving the study treatment are reported at each time point as noted above. The study timeline is summarized in Figure 2.
Epidural blood patch is performed for patients who reported a persistent moderate to severe headache a minimum of 24 hours after administration of the study treatment and 36 hours after the dural puncture based on the clinical appreciation of the anesthesiologist. Epidural blood patch can be repeated twice if required (i.e. if headache does not improve or if it increases again). Epidural blood patch is performed by the anesthesiologist. Autologous blood is injected into the epidural space using an 18 gauge Tuohy needle. The injection is stopped when the patient feels pressure in the lower back or pain.
1.3.8 Statistical analysis
Unblinding occurs at the end of the study and once the database has been frozen. Statistical analyses will be performed using IBM SPSS statistics for windows (IBM corp., Armonk, NY, USA) and R (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). All data will be checked for normal distribution using the Kolmogorov test. For normally distributed data, variables will be presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Non-normal distributed data will be presented as the median and interquartile range [IQR]. Categorical variables will be presented as number and percentage of the total. To compare the two groups (tetracosactide and placebo), we will use Fisher’s exact test for qualitative data and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney tests for quantitative variables. A comparison of the two groups at randomization will identify potential bias due to unequal allocation. A multivariate logistic regression analysis will be performed to study factors independently associated with the response to tetracosactide and to control potential confounding factors.
Intermediate analysis
The hypothesis of a 30% difference between the two groups is conservative compared to the 50% reduction reported by Hakim (39); a difference of only 30% between the two groups should already be clinically relevant. An interim analysis is therefore planned after enrollment of 44 patients. The overall alpha risk will be adjusted according to the Bonferroni method and will be 2.5% (5% / 2). A p value <0.025 will therefore be considered statistically significant. If this initial analysis is statistically significant (p <0.025), the independent monitoring committee may decide to stop the study without waiting for the planned recruitment. Otherwise, the study will be continued until the inclusion of 88 patients.
1.3.9 Ethical approval
This trial is conducted in accordance with the protocol and in compliance with the moral, ethical, and scientific principles governing clinical research as set out in the Declaration of Helsinki (1989) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP). It is also conducted in accordance with French legislation (Public Health Code; Act No. 2004–806 of August 9, 2004). It is registered in Clinical Trial Protocol Registration and Results System: NCT02813655 (registration date: June 24, 2016). An ethics committee (comité de protection des personnes sud Est V, CPP) has approved the study for both participating sites on 6 April 2016. The national drugs authority (Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des produits de santé, ANSM) authorized this trial (authorization date: April 18, 2016).
1.3.10. Adverse events management
During the study period, adverse events will be reported and recorded in the participants’ CRF. The severity of adverse events will be graded as mild, moderate, severe, life threatening or death, and the potential relationship between the adverse event and the study treatment will be assessed by clinical judgment. If a side effect requiring extension of hospitalization or causing a medically critical situation occurs, the event will be recorded as a severe adverse event. All severe and life threatening adverse events or death will be reported to the investigator and to the promoter within 24 h after the information has been collected. The promoter will report all those events to legal authority (ANSM and CPP). The investigator must follow patients until the adverse events have been resolved.
1.3.11. Protocol amendment
Because patient enrollment/inclusion was more difficult than expected the protocol was amended (January 2017) to extended inclusion from PDPH due to a dural puncture carried out by large Tuohy needle to all postpartum PDPH, i.e. PDPH related to a large dural puncture and PDPH related to small needle (25–27G) for spinal anesthesia.
A second amendment (November 2018) extended the inclusion period until 10/10/2021 to allow the further progress of the study.