Phase II Randomized Trial:Arginine Butyrate Plus Standard Local Therapy in Patients With Refractory Sickle Cell Ulcers
Skin Ulcers, Sickle Cell Anemia
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Skin Ulcers focused on measuring dermatologic disorders, genetic diseases and dysmorphic syndromes, hematologic disorders, rare disease, sickle cell anemia, skin ulcers, thalassemia major
Eligibility Criteria
PROTOCOL CRITERIA INCLUSION: --Disease Characteristics-- Significant sickle cell syndrome including Hemoglobin SS (HbSS), Hemoglobin S-beta thalassemia, and hemoglobin variants. Lower extremity or ankle ulcer (or ulcers) present for at least 6 months without healing --Patient Characteristics-- Age: 16-60 yrs Performance status: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: No hepatic compromise Transaminases no greater than 250 IU Renal: No renal compromise Creatinine no greater than 1.2 mg/mL (adults) Creatinine no greater than 0.9 mg/mL (teenagers) Other: Not pregnant Fertile patients must use effective contraception No poorly controlled seizure disorders No other secondary conditions that might inhibit immune function Prior/Concurrent Therapy Other: Must be treated with antibiotics prior to entry for complicating cellulitis or secondary infections EXCLUSION : --Prior/Concurrent Therapy-- Biologic therapy: chronic transfusion therapy Chemotherapy: prior or concurrent cancer chemotherapy concurrent butyrate derivatives Endocrine therapy: concurrent corticosteroid therapy Radiotherapy: Not specified Surgery: Not specified --Patient Characteristics-- Hepatic: hepatic compromise Transaminases greater than 250 IU Renal: renal compromise Creatinine greater than 1.2 mg/mL (adults) Creatinine greater than 0.9 mg/mL (teenagers) Other: pregnant; Fertile patients with no effective contraception Poorly controlled seizure disorders other secondary conditions that might inhibit immune function
Sites / Locations
- University of Illinois College of Medicine
- Boston University School of Medicine
- Mount Sinai School of Medicine
- University of Tennessee, Memphis Cancer Center
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Other
Experimental
Other
Standard local care dressing
Arginine Butyrate
Crossover
Each subject provided his/her own dressing e.g,standard local care includes cleaning, saline irrigation, dressing changes only for 8 weeks twice a week.
Arginine Butyrate IV plus Standard local care dressing for a total of 12 weeks. Low dose 500 mg/kg or, increased dose 750 mg/kg. First week AB given 5 days in a row, over 6 to 12hours.
Patients are randomly assigned (following a table of random numbers prepared by a blinded statistician) between two arms of the study. Arm I is Standard local care dressing only, and Arm II is standard local care plus Arginine Butyrate (AB), the Investigational New Drug. Ulcers observed & traced weekly. Ulcer area calculated by computerized planimetry. After 12 weeks of therapy, if the ulcer size decreased by at least 25%, the AB may be continued for another 8 weeks (twice), or until the ulcer closes, plus an additional 2 weeks. The patients randomized to the Control Arm (standard local care) were given the option of crossing over to Arm II If, ulcers did not close after 8 weeks of standard local care.