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Efficacy and Safety Study Comparing Lorazepam and Diazepam for Children in the Emergency Department With Seizures

This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), February 2008

Sponsored by: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Information provided by: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00621478
  Purpose

Children with seizures are frequently seen in the emergency department. The drug lorazepam, which is commonly used, is not labeled by the US Food and Drug Administration for children for this use. The FDA, under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act, has requested that a study comparing diazepam, a drug that is labeled by the FDA for this indication, with lorazepam be performed. The study will show whether one drug is more effective and safe than the other.


Condition Intervention Phase
Status Epilepticus
Drug: lorazepam or diazepam
Phase II
Phase III

Genetics Home Reference related topics:   pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent epilepsy    pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy   

MedlinePlus related topics:   Seizures   

Drug Information available for:   Diazepam    Lorazepam   

U.S. FDA Resources

Study Type:   Interventional
Study Design:   Treatment, Randomized, Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Active Control, Parallel Assignment, Safety/Efficacy Study
Official Title:   Use Of Lorazepam For The Treatment Of Pediatric Status Epilepticus: A Randomized, Double-Blinded Trial Of Lorazepam And Diazepam

Further study details as provided by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD):

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • cessation of convulsions within 10 minutes of the initial administration of the study drug and a sustained absence of convulsions for 30 minutes from the initial administration of the study drug. [ Time Frame: 30 minutes ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • To determine population pharmacokinetics (PK) of lorazepam using sparse sampling. [ Time Frame: 24 hr ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • feasibility of identifying patients for informed consent prior to arrival in status epilepticus for a randomized controlled trial [ Time Frame: 2 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • the experience of community consultation and public disclosure [ Time Frame: 2 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • feasibility of enrolling pediatric patients under an exception from informed consent [ Time Frame: 2 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • determine patients' and parents' attitudes and reactions to an exception from informed consent approach [ Time Frame: 2 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • severe or life-threatening respiratory depression [ Time Frame: 4 hours ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

Estimated Enrollment:   240
Study Start Date:   February 2008
Estimated Study Completion Date:   January 2011
Estimated Primary Completion Date:   January 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Arms Assigned Interventions
Cohort 1: Active Comparator

Cohort 1 (preconsented) patients will involve obtaining informed consent from the legally authorized representative of a potential study subject before they present to the ED in SE. Patient assent will be obtained for patients as per local IRB rules. The consent document (enclosed in this application) will inform parents that if their child comes to the ED and qualifies for the study based on study inclusion/exclusion criteria, they will be enrolled.

Patients who cannot be contacted to confirm consent will be enrolled in Cohort 2 (EFIC) as detailed below.

Patients in Cohort 1 will be randomized in a blinded fashion to either lorazepam 0.1 mg/kg or diazepam 0.2 mg/kg

Drug: lorazepam or diazepam

Administration instructions will ask to deliver 0.04 ml per kilogram of child's weight of the study medication up to a maximum of 1.6 ml. 0.04 ml/kg (maximum dose 1.6 ml) will deliver 0.1 mg/kg of lorazepam (maximum dose 4 mg) and 0.2 mg/kg of diazepam (maximum dose 8 mg). Half of this dose can be repeated in 5 minutes if the patient is still convulsing.

The medication will be administered as a slow IV push.

Cohort 2: Active Comparator

Cohort 2 (EFIC) will include patients who appear in the ED with SE and qualify for the study but have not given prior consent. These patients will be enrolled under the EFIC regulations. The parent/guardian will be given the opportunity to object to participation or ask additional questions.

The child will be enrolled (dosed) with study medication under an EFIC. Once the child is stabilized, a research staff member will approach the parent or LAR to obtain informed consent to continue the child's participation in the study. If a parent or LAR refuses continued participation, then no further study procedures will be performed. Safety and data will be collected in accordance with federal regulations.

Cohort 2 will be randomized, like Cohort 1, to either lorazepam 0.1 mg/kg or diazepam 0.2 mg/kg

Drug: lorazepam or diazepam

Administration instructions will ask to deliver 0.04 ml per kilogram of child's weight of the study medication up to a maximum of 1.6 ml. 0.04 ml/kg (maximum dose 1.6 ml) will deliver 0.1 mg/kg of lorazepam (maximum dose 4 mg) and 0.2 mg/kg of diazepam (maximum dose 8 mg). Half of this dose can be repeated in 5 minutes if the patient is still convulsing.

The medication will be administered as a slow IV push.


Detailed Description:

Textbooks and expert opinion recommend both diazepam and lorazepam as initial therapy for children in status epilepticus (SE) and provide recommended doses that are commonly used. However, unlike diazepam, lorazepam is only FDA-approved for treatment for SE in patients over 18 years of age. Despite this fact, many experts support the use of lorazepam over diazepam in pediatric SE. Increased duration of action, increased effectiveness in terminating SE, and a lower incidence of respiratory depression have been cited as potential advantages of lorazepam over diazepam. However, data to support firm recommendations for one medication over another are lacking. Thus, either diazepam (FDA-approved) or lorazepam can be considered first-line agents for pediatric SE, and the physician's choice of agent depends on local practice patterns and individual treatment styles. In the prehospital (Emergency Medical Services) setting, diazepam is commonly chosen because of a longer shelf life without refrigeration.

The purpose of this study is to determine the differences in efficacy and safety between these two commonly used benzodiazepines, as requested by the FDA under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act, using the Exception from Informed Consent provided by the FDA.

  Eligibility
Ages Eligible for Study:   3 Months to 17 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus, defined as one or more if the following:

    1. Three or more generalized tonic-clonic seizures within the last hour and currently experiencing a convulsion; or
    2. Two or more generalized tonic-clonic seizures in succession with no recovery of consciousness between seizures and currently experiencing a convulsion; or
    3. A single ongoing generalized tonic-clonic seizure of at least 5 minutes duration

Exclusion Criteria:

Pregnancy Shock prior to study drug (sustained hypotension requiring inotropic therapy); Significant dysrhythmia prior to study drug (other than sinus tachycardia); Need for emergent surgical intervention and general anesthesia for a condition present prior to study drug; Known sensitivity to benzodiazepines or known contraindication to benzodiazepine use; or Use of diazepam or lorazepam within 1 week of presentation.

  Contacts and Locations

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00621478

Contacts
Contact: James Chamberlain, MD     202-476-3253     jchamber@cnmc.org    

Locations
United States, District of Columbia
Children's National Medical Center     Recruiting
      Washington DC, District of Columbia, United States, 20010
      Contact: Jim Chamberlain, MD     202-476-3253     jchamber@cnmc.org    

Sponsors and Collaborators

Investigators
Principal Investigator:     James Chamberlain, MD     Childrens Research Institute    
  More Information


Responsible Party:   Children's National Medical Center ( Jim Chamberlain, MD/ Principal Investigator )
Study ID Numbers:   N01HD043393, 275200403393C
First Received:   February 20, 2008
Last Updated:   February 29, 2008
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:   NCT00621478
Health Authority:   United States: Food and Drug Administration

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Status epilepticus
Lorazepam
Epilepsy
Diazepam
Status Epilepticus
Seizures
Central Nervous System Diseases
Emergencies
Brain Diseases

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Neurotransmitter Agents
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
GABA Modulators
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Psychotropic Drugs
Antiemetics
Anesthetics
Neuromuscular Agents
Therapeutic Uses
Muscle Relaxants, Central
Hypnotics and Sedatives
Anesthetics, Intravenous
Tranquilizing Agents
Nervous System Diseases
Gastrointestinal Agents
Central Nervous System Depressants
Pharmacologic Actions
Adjuvants, Anesthesia
Autonomic Agents
Anesthetics, General
GABA Agents
Anti-Anxiety Agents
Peripheral Nervous System Agents
Central Nervous System Agents
Anticonvulsants

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on November 20, 2008




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