NCT05674994

Glucocorticoids Versus Placebo for the Treatment of Acute Exacerbation of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Glucocorticoids Versus Placebo for the Treatment of Acute Exacerbation of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: a Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 3
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 110 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Fondation Hôpital Saint-Joseph · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) is associated with a poor prognosis, with a 3-month mortality rate of over 50%. To date, no treatment has been proven to be effective in AI-FPI. The interest of glucocorticoids is controversial and needs to be confirmed. This confirmation is mandatory to validate the improvement of the prognosis of EA-IPF under this treatment but also to search for unsuspected deleterious effects as it has been shown with immunosuppressants in stable idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Detailed description

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most frequent idiopathic interstitial lung disease (ILD) in adults. Its prognosis is poor with a median survival time ranging from 2 to 3 years. Acute exacerbation of IPF (IPF-AE) is defined as acute, clinically significant respiratory deterioration characterized by evidence of new widespread alveolar abnormalities. Recently, diagnosis criteria were defined now allowing standardized diagnosis of IPF-AE and thus its study. IPF-AE is a major event of the disease having a 5 to 10% annual incidence. In-hospital mortality after IPF-AE exceeds 50% and current evidence suggests that up to 46% of deaths in IPF patients are associated with IPF-AE. For the time being, no treatment has been proved to be effective in IPF-AE. While the clinical practice guideline suggests treatment with steroids, this recommendation is based only on expert opinion (low level evidence). Retrospective studies suggested the efficacy of thrombomodulin, cyclophosphamide or of therapeutic strategy including plasma exchange, rituximab and intravenous immunoglobulins. A recent Japanese randomized trial failed to show the efficacy of thrombomodulin alfa. Investigators performed a randomized trial assessing the role of cyclophosphamide on top of pulse steroid (EXAFIP-NCT02460588) and showed that cyclophosphamide did not reduce the 3-month mortality. A study assessing the effect of therapeutic plasma exchange, rituximab and intravenous immunoglobulins for severe form of IPF-AE patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is still ongoing (NCT03286556). Presently, the clinical benefit of corticosteroids is questioned. Indeed, 2 retrospective series reported an absence of outcome improvement by corticosteroids among IPF-AE patients and even suggested a potential detrimental outcome. It is therefore necessary to set-up a placebo-controlled randomized trial: investigator's goal is to test the hypothesis that a corticosteroid treatment is highly efficient in IPF-AE, compared to placebo. This underlines that, as no good evidence is available to support the use of glucocorticoids in IPF-AE, randomized controlled trials are also needed to address their efficacy and safety in this indication. The choices of glucocorticoids' dosage, primary objective (mortality) and primary assessment criteria (all cause mortality rate at Day 30) are driven by investigator's previous study, EXAFIP. In this study, glucocorticoids dosage was as follow: intravenous methylprednisolone, 10 mg/kg/d (without exceeding 1000 mg/d), 3 days in a row shift to prednisone at 1 mg/kg/d for 1 week, and 0.75 mg/kg/d for 1 week, then 0.5 mg/kg/d for 1 week, and 0.25 mg/kg/d for 1 week, and 10 mg/d if weight \> 65 kg; 7.5 mg if weight ≤ 65 kg until M6. The 1-month mortality of patient under this high dose of glucocorticoids was 20%. In view of the poor prognosis of IPF-AE, it seems also important to evaluate the effect of treatment on overall mortality at Day 90.

Conditions

• Acute Exacerbation of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Methylprednisone/Prednisone	Patients will be enrolled during their hospitalization in pneumology department, as part of current practice, within 7 days of the screening visit. The investigator will perform randomization by connecting to the eCRF, randomization be stratified for the severity of IPF and the treatment with antifibrotic therapy (Nintedanib or Pirfenidone) (yes/no). If patient is randomized in Glucocorticoids Group: * Day 1, 2 and 3: Intravenous Methylprednisolone 10 mg/kg/d (without exceeding 1000 mg/d). Vials of injectable solution of methylprednisolone® are diluted in 100 ml of NaCl 0.9% or G5%. Perfusion duration is between 20 to 30 minutes. * From day 4 to Day 30: Oral Prednisone slow tappering * 1 mg/kg/d for 7 days * 0.5 mg/kg/d for 7 days * 0.25 mg/kg/d for 7 days, * 10 mg/d until Day 30. For 10mg/kg, 1 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, 0.25 mg/kg; rounding to 5 decimal lower if decimal ≤ 7 and the top ten if decimal ≥ 8.
OTHER	Placebo	Patients will be enrolled during their hospitalization in pneumology department, as part of current practice, within 7 days of the screening visit. The investigator will perform randomization by connecting to the eCRF, randomization be stratified for the severity of IPF and the treatment with antifibrotic therapy (Nintedanib or Pirfenidone) (yes/no). If patient is randomized in Placebo Group: Day 1, 2 and 3: Intravenous Methylprednisolone-Placebo From Day 4 to Day 30: Oral Prednisone-Placebo The Methylprednisolone-Placebo corresponds to 100 ml of NaCl 0.9 % or G5%. Perfusion duration is between 20 to 30 minutes. For the Prednisone-Placebo, the placebo was an oral solution formulated with a bittering agent (pharmaceutical excipient). Specifically, in place of prednisone, sucrose octaacetate (defined as a GRAS-'Generally Recognized as Safe' excipient by the EMA) was used at 5 mg/mL.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-10-26
• Primary completion: 2026-03-30
• Completion: 2026-12-31
• First posted: 2023-01-09
• Last updated: 2026-03-02

Locations

29 sites across 1 country: France