High Dose Intravenous Thiamine for the Prevention of Delirium in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

High Dose Intravenous Thiamine for the Prevention of Delirium in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial of High Dose Intravenous Thiamine for the Prevention of Delirium in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Purpose: To conduct a randomized controlled pilot study investigating the use of high dose intravenous (IV) thiamine to prevent delirium and mitigate the long-term effects of delirium, including health-related quality of life (HRQOL), functional status, and neuropsychiatric outcomes, in patients admitted to University of North Carolina (UNC) Hospital for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Participants: 60 adult inpatients admitted to the UNC Bone Marrow Transplant Unit for allogeneic stem cell transplant. Procedures (methods): Participants will be admitted for allogeneic HSCT and on the day after transplant randomized to seven days of high dose IV thiamine or placebo. Thiamine levels will be measured weekly and participants will be assessed for evidence of delirium using validated measures. Validated measures will also be used to assess cognitive function, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, functional status, and HRQOL prior to hospitalization and at one, three, and six months after transplant.

Delirium is a common and potentially preventable neuropsychiatric complication in cancer patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) that has profound consequences. Among cancer patients hospitalized for HSCT, delirium occurs in approximately 40% of patients and increases the risk of mortality. Long-term, delirium in this population results in worse physical health, mental health, and quality of life. Though strategies to prevent delirium have the potential to significantly improve the lives of people living with cancer, research in this area is extremely limited. Thiamine deficiency is also ubiquitous during HSCT and a known contributor to the development of delirium in other patient populations. High dose intravenous (IV) thiamine is an evidence-based and promising treatment for delirium, but no one has studied IV thiamine as a prevention strategy. This is a randomized double-blind controlled trial in participants undergoing allogeneic HSCT to determine if high dose IV thiamine can prevent delirium and minimize the deleterious impact of delirium on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), functional status, and other neuropsychiatric outcomes. The investigators will recruit 60 patients admitted for allogeneic HSCT at UNC, randomize them to treatment with high dose IV thiamine (n = 30) versus placebo (n = 30), and systematically evaluate all participants for delirium and related comorbidities. The investigators will use the Delirium Rating Scale (DRS) to measure the severity and duration of delirium immediately prior to transplant and after HSCT until 30 days post-transplant or discharge. If delirium is identified, the DRS will be administered daily until delirium resolves. The investigators will obtain thiamine levels and other laboratory parameters associated with delirium the day after transplant, and continue to monitor thiamine levels weekly thereafter. The investigators will also monitor HRQOL, functional status, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and cognitive function prior to transplant and at one, three, and six months after transplant to elucidate the persistent impact of delirium in this population and the potential for thiamine to mitigate these negative outcomes.

Delirium incidence will be measured using the Delirium Rating Scale (DRS). The DRS is a is a 10-item, clinician-rated scale that rates the severity of delirium symptoms over a 24-hour period using all available information from the patient interview, mental status examination, medical history and tests, nursing observations, and family reports. The maximum possible score is 32. Higher scores suggest more severe symptoms. A cut-off score of > 12 has been suggested to distinguish patients with delirium from patients with other neuropsychiatric disorders. Delirium incidence will be defined as at least one assessment with DRS > 12.

Assessments will occur in the week prior to transplant, then 3 times weekly post-transplant until 30 days post-transplant or discharge, whichever comes first.

Delirium severity will be measured using the Delirium Rating Scale (DRS). The DRS is a is a 10-item, clinician-rated scale that rates the severity of delirium symptoms over a 24-hour period using all available information from the patient interview, mental status examination, medical history and tests, nursing observations, and family reports. The score ranges from 0 to 32 with higher scores reflecting more severe symptoms. A cut-off score of > 12 has been suggested to distinguish patients with delirium from patients with other neuropsychiatric disorders. The DRS medians and ranges are reported for each group at baseline and in each week of hospitalization for thiamine and placebo groups.

Assessments will occur in the week prior to transplant (baseline), then at least 3 times post-transplant on a weekly basis until 30 days post-transplant or discharge, whichever comes first, up to week 5

Delirium duration will be measured using the Delirium Rating Scale (DRS). The DRS is a is a 10-item, clinician-rated scale that rates the severity of delirium symptoms over a 24-hour period using all available information from the patient interview, mental status examination, medical history and tests, nursing observations, and family reports. The maximum possible score is 32. Higher scores suggest more severe symptoms. A cut-off score of > 12 has been suggested to distinguish patients with delirium from patients with other neuropsychiatric disorders. Delirium duration will be reported as number of consecutive days during which DRS > 12.

Assessments will occur in the week prior to transplant, then 3 times weekly post-transplant until 30 days post-transplant or discharge, whichever comes first.

The relationship between thiamine levels at the end of the seven day administration of thiamine and the development of delirium at any point during the thirty days post-transplant or the post-transplant hospitalization, whichever comes first, will be examined. Thiamine levels (nmol/L) are presented in participants who did and did not experience delirium.

From end of 7-day intervention period until the development of delirium at any point during the post-transplant hospitalization up to a maximum of 30 days

HRQOL will be assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT). The FACT-BMT is a 47-item self-administered assessment which asks individuals to rate questions related to physical, social/family, emotional, and functional well-being on a 5-point Likert Scale (0, not at all to 4, very much). Scores are summed across the items, resulting in a score from 0 to 148, with higher scores indicating better quality of life. Negative change scores indicate worse HRQOL with time.

HRQOL will be assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT). The FACT-BMT is a 47-item self-administered assessment which asks individuals to rate questions related to physical, social/family, emotional, and functional well-being on a 5-point Likert Scale (0, not at all to 4, very much). Scores are summed across the items, resulting in a score from 0 to 148, with higher scores indicating better quality of life. Negative change scores indicate worse HRQOL with time.

HRQOL will be assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT). The FACT-BMT is a 47-item self-administered assessment which asks individuals to rate questions related to physical, social/family, emotional, and functional well-being on a 5-point Likert Scale (0, not at all to 4, very much). Scores are summed across the items, resulting in a score from 0 to 148, with higher scores indicating better quality of life. Negative change scores indicate worse HRQOL with time.

Depression will be assessed using the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System - Depression (PROMIS-D) 8a short form. Scores for all PROMIS measures are reported on the T-score metric in which the mean=50 and standard deviation (SD) = 10 are centered on the general population means. Higher scores represent greater degrees of mood symptoms. Positive change scores indicate worse mood over time.

Depression will be assessed using the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System - Depression (PROMIS-D) 8a short form. Scores for all PROMIS measures are reported on the T-score metric in which the mean=50 and standard deviation (SD) = 10 are centered on the general population means. Higher scores represent greater degrees of mood symptoms. Positive change scores indicate worse mood over time.

Depression will be assessed using the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System - Depression (PROMIS-D) 8a short form. Scores for all PROMIS measures are reported on the T-score metric in which the mean=50 and standard deviation (SD) = 10 are centered on the general population means. Higher scores represent greater degrees of mood symptoms. Positive change scores indicate worse mood over time.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms will be measured using the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome Scale 14 (PTSS-14). The PTSS-14 is a 14-item self-administered assessment. Questions are on a 7-point Likert-type Scale (1, never to 7, always) resulting in a total score between 14 and 98. Higher scores represent a more likely diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Positive change scores indicate worse post-traumatic stress over time.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms will be measured using the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome Scale 14 (PTSS-14). The PTSS-14 is a 14-item self-administered assessment. Questions are on a 7-point Likert-type Scale (1, never to 7, always) resulting in a total score between 14 and 98. Higher scores represent a more likely diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Positive change scores indicate worse post-traumatic stress over time.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms will be measured using the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome Scale 14 (PTSS-14). The PTSS-14 is a 14-item self-administered assessment. Questions are on a 7-point Likert-type Scale (1, never to 7, always) resulting in a total score between 14 and 98. Higher scores represent a more likely diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Positive change scores indicate worse post-traumatic stress over time.

Cognitive function will be assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). The MOCA is a clinician-administered tool with scores ranging from 0 to 30. Lower scores indicate worse cognitive function. Scores ≤ 25 are considered clinically significant. Positive change scores indicate better function with time.

Cognitive function will be assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). The MOCA is a clinician-administered tool with scores ranging from 0 to 30. Lower scores indicate worse cognitive function. Scores ≤ 25 are considered clinically significant. Positive change scores indicate better function with time.

Cognitive function will be assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). The MOCA is a clinician-administered tool with scores ranging from 0 to 30. Lower scores indicate worse cognitive function. Scores ≤ 25 are considered clinically significant. Positive change scores indicate better function with time.

Functional status will be measured using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale. ECOG performance status is a single question scored on a 6-point scale (range 0 to 5) with higher scores representing greater physical restriction due to illness. Negative change scores indicate better function with time.

Functional status will be measured using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale. ECOG performance status is a single question scored on a 6-point scale (range 0 to 5) with higher scores representing greater physical restriction due to illness. Negative change scores indicate better function with time.

Functional status will be measured using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale. ECOG performance status is a single question scored on a 6-point scale (range 0 to 5) with higher scores representing greater physical restriction due to illness. Negative change scores indicate better function with time.

Inclusion Criteria: Admission to the UNC Hospital Bone Marrow Transplant Unit for allogeneic stem cell transplant At least 18 years of age Able to speak English Able to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: A history of adverse reaction to IV thiamine Pregnancy, confirmed by a negative pregnancy test within 30 days of study enrollment

Nakamura ZM, Deal AM, Park EM, Quillen LJ, Chien SA, Stanton KE, McCabe SD, Heiling HM, Wood WA, Shea TC, Rosenstein DL. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of intravenous thiamine for prevention of delirium following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. J Psychosom Res. 2021 Jul;146:110503. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110503. Epub 2021 Apr 27.