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Santi I, Vellekoop H, M Versteegh M, A Huygens S, Dinjens WNM, Mölken MRV. Estimating the Prognostic Value of the NTRK Fusion Biomarker for Comparative Effectiveness Research in The Netherlands. Mol Diagn Ther 2024; 28:319-328. [PMID: 38616205 PMCID: PMC11068666 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-024-00704-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We evaluated the prognostic value of the neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusions by comparing the survival of patients with NTRK+ tumours with patients without NTRK+ tumours. METHODS We used genomic and clinical registry data from the Center for Personalized Cancer Treatment (CPCT-02) study containing a cohort of cancer patients who were treated in Dutch clinical practice between 2012 and 2020. We performed a propensity score matching analysis, where NTRK+ patients were matched to NTRK- patients in a 1:4 ratio. We subsequently analysed the survival of the matched sample of NTRK+ and NTRK- patients using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression, and performed an analysis of credibility to evaluate the plausibility of our result. RESULTS Among 3556 patients from the CPCT-02 study with known tumour location, 24 NTRK+ patients were identified. NTRK+ patients were distributed across nine different tumour types: bone/soft tissue, breast, colorectal, head and neck, lung, pancreas, prostate, skin and urinary tract. NTRK fusions involving the NTRK3 gene (46%) and NTRK1 gene (33%) were most common. The survival analysis rendered a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.44 (95% CI 0.81-2.55) for NTRK+ patients. Using the point estimates of three prior studies on the prognostic value of NTRK fusions, our finding that the HR is > 1 was deemed plausible. CONCLUSIONS NTRK+ patients may have an increased risk of death compared with NTRK- patients. When using historic control data to assess the comparative effectiveness of TRK inhibitors, the prognostic value of the NTRK fusion biomarker should therefore be accounted for.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Santi
- Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Heleen Vellekoop
- Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs M Versteegh
- Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Simone A Huygens
- Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Winand N M Dinjens
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maureen Rutten-van Mölken
- Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- School of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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2
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Stacchiotti S, Bouche G, Herold R, Pantziarka P, Schuster K, Wilson R, Pignatti F, Kasper B. How to develop new systemic treatments in ultra-rare cancers with high unmet needs? The case of alveolar soft-part sarcoma. Eur J Cancer 2024; 202:114003. [PMID: 38479120 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2024.114003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Developing new drugs or generating evidence for existing drugs in new indications for ultra-rare cancers is complex and carries a high-risk of failure. This gets even harder in ultra-rare tumours, which have an annual incidence of 1 per 1,000,000 population or less. Here, we illustrate the problem of adequate evidence generation in ultra-rare tumours, using Alveolar Soft-Part Sarcomas (ASPS) - an ultra-rare sarcoma newly diagnosed in approximately 60 persons a year in the European Union - as an exemplar case showing challenges in development despite being potentially relevant for classes of agents. We discuss some possible approaches for addressing such challenges, especially focussing on constructive collaboration between academic groups, patients and advocates, drug manufacturers, and regulators to optimise drug development in ultra-rare cancers. This article, written by various European stakeholders, proposes a way forward to ultimately get better options for patients with ultra-rare cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Stacchiotti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | - Roger Wilson
- Sarcoma Patient Advocacy Global Network, Wölfersheim, Germany
| | | | - Bernd Kasper
- Sarcoma Unit, Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC), Mannheim University Medical Center, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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3
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Freidlin B, Korn EL. Efficiency of Biomarker-Driven Clinical Trial Designs. J Clin Oncol 2024; 42:1454-1455. [PMID: 38437594 PMCID: PMC11095868 DOI: 10.1200/jco.23.02581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Boris Freidlin
- Boris Freidlin, PhD and Edward L. Korn, PhD, Biostatistics Branch, Biometric Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Edward L. Korn
- Boris Freidlin, PhD and Edward L. Korn, PhD, Biostatistics Branch, Biometric Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
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4
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Basedow LA, Kuitunen-Paul S, Wiedmann MF, Roessner V, Golub Y. Evaluation of the multimodal DELTA therapy for adolescents with substance use disorders: an exploratory pilot trial. Front Psychiatry 2024; 14:1284342. [PMID: 38234368 PMCID: PMC10793107 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1284342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background In order to address the lack of manualized treatment programs for adolescents with substance use disorders (SUDs), we developed a manualized group intervention (DELTA). DELTA focusses on substance use reduction and abstinence as well as alleviation of SUD symptoms via additional modules for co-occurring disorders. The goal of this exploratory trial was to assess if DELTA can be conducted in adolescent SUD patients and if participation is related to reductions in substance use, SUD-related problems, and further psychopathologies. Method We recruited adolescents at a psychiatric outpatient unit, which were then allocated to either DELTA intervention group (N = 85) or to a waiting-list control group (WL, N = 61) based on parental decision to start a therapy or not. Self-report measures were used as primary outcomes (substance use via interview, use-related problems via DUDIT-Drug Use Disorder Identification Test) and secondary outcomes (psychopathologies via YSR-Youth Self Report). T-tests and Pearson correlations were used to analyze between-group differences across time. Results On average, participants attended M = 7.7 (SD = 5.1) of the 16 sessions. Substance use and use-related problems regarding all substances but nicotine was decreased after the intervention, with small to medium not significant effects in favor of DELTA. Self-reported psychopathologies were also reduced at follow-up, with non-significant advantages for DELTA. Conclusion DELTA showed small effects on SUD-related and depression-related variables. However, the interpretation is limited by the small sample size. Nonetheless, the DELTA intervention is viable in SUD outpatient treatment and will be further evaluated.Clinical trial registration: The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov under NCT03444974. Registered February, 26th 2018 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03444974).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas A. Basedow
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Soeren Kuitunen-Paul
- Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TU Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Melina F. Wiedmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Yulia Golub
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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5
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Ferraro MC, Cashin AG, Wand BM, Smart KM, Berryman C, Marston L, Moseley GL, McAuley JH, O'Connell NE. Interventions for treating pain and disability in adults with complex regional pain syndrome- an overview of systematic reviews. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023; 6:CD009416. [PMID: 37306570 PMCID: PMC10259367 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd009416.pub3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition that usually occurs in a limb following trauma or surgery. It is characterised by persisting pain that is disproportionate in magnitude or duration to the typical course of pain after similar injury. There is currently no consensus regarding the optimal management of CRPS, although a broad range of interventions have been described and are commonly used. This is the first update of the original Cochrane review published in Issue 4, 2013. OBJECTIVES To summarise the evidence from Cochrane and non-Cochrane systematic reviews of the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of any intervention used to reduce pain, disability, or both, in adults with CRPS. METHODS We identified Cochrane reviews and non-Cochrane reviews through a systematic search of Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, PEDro, LILACS and Epistemonikos from inception to October 2022, with no language restrictions. We included systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials that included adults (≥18 years) diagnosed with CRPS, using any diagnostic criteria. Two overview authors independently assessed eligibility, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the reviews and certainty of the evidence using the AMSTAR 2 and GRADE tools respectively. We extracted data for the primary outcomes pain, disability and adverse events, and the secondary outcomes quality of life, emotional well-being, and participants' ratings of satisfaction or improvement with treatment. MAIN RESULTS: We included six Cochrane and 13 non-Cochrane systematic reviews in the previous version of this overview and five Cochrane and 12 non-Cochrane reviews in the current version. Using the AMSTAR 2 tool, we judged Cochrane reviews to have higher methodological quality than non-Cochrane reviews. The studies in the included reviews were typically small and mostly at high risk of bias or of low methodological quality. We found no high-certainty evidence for any comparison. There was low-certainty evidence that bisphosphonates may reduce pain intensity post-intervention (standardised mean difference (SMD) -2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.8 to -3.4, P = 0.001; I2 = 81%; 4 trials, n = 181) and moderate-certainty evidence that they are probably associated with increased adverse events of any nature (risk ratio (RR) 2.10, 95% CI 1.27 to 3.47; number needed to treat for an additional harmful outcome (NNTH) 4.6, 95% CI 2.4 to 168.0; 4 trials, n = 181). There was moderate-certainty evidence that lidocaine local anaesthetic sympathetic blockade probably does not reduce pain intensity compared with placebo, and low-certainty evidence that it may not reduce pain intensity compared with ultrasound of the stellate ganglion. No effect size was reported for either comparison. There was low-certainty evidence that topical dimethyl sulfoxide may not reduce pain intensity compared with oral N-acetylcysteine, but no effect size was reported. There was low-certainty evidence that continuous bupivacaine brachial plexus block may reduce pain intensity compared with continuous bupivacaine stellate ganglion block, but no effect size was reported. For a wide range of other commonly used interventions, the certainty in the evidence was very low and provides insufficient evidence to either support or refute their use. Comparisons with low- and very low-certainty evidence should be treated with substantial caution. We did not identify any RCT evidence for routinely used pharmacological interventions for CRPS such as tricyclic antidepressants or opioids. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Despite a considerable increase in included evidence compared with the previous version of this overview, we identified no high-certainty evidence for the effectiveness of any therapy for CRPS. Until larger, high-quality trials are undertaken, formulating an evidence-based approach to managing CRPS will remain difficult. Current non-Cochrane systematic reviews of interventions for CRPS are of low methodological quality and should not be relied upon to provide an accurate and comprehensive summary of the evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Ferraro
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Aidan G Cashin
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Benedict M Wand
- The School of Health Sciences and Physiotherapy, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Australia
| | - Keith M Smart
- UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Physiotherapy Department, St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Carolyn Berryman
- IIMPACT in Health, University of South Australia, Kaurna Country, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Kaurna Country, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Louise Marston
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - G Lorimer Moseley
- IIMPACT in Health, University of South Australia, Kaurna Country, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - James H McAuley
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Neil E O'Connell
- Department of Health Sciences, Centre for Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifecourse, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
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6
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Freidlin B, Korn EL. Augmenting randomized clinical trial data with historical control data: Precision medicine applications. J Natl Cancer Inst 2023; 115:14-20. [PMID: 36161487 PMCID: PMC10089586 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
As precision medicine becomes more precise, the sizes of the molecularly targeted subpopulations become increasingly smaller. This can make it challenging to conduct randomized clinical trials of the targeted therapies in a timely manner. To help with this problem of a small patient subpopulation, a study design that is frequently proposed is to conduct a small randomized clinical trial (RCT) with the intent of augmenting the RCT control arm data with historical data from a set of patients who have received the control treatment outside the RCT (historical control data). In particular, strategies have been developed that compare the treatment outcomes across the cohorts of patients treated with the standard (control) treatment to guide the use of the historical data in the analysis; this can lessen the potential well-known biases of using historical controls without any randomization. Using some simple examples and completed studies, we demonstrate in this commentary that these strategies are unlikely to be useful in precision medicine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Freidlin
- Biometric Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Edward L Korn
- Biometric Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
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7
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Abstract
Background We provide an overview of Bayesian estimation, hypothesis testing, and model-averaging and illustrate how they benefit parametric survival analysis. We contrast the Bayesian framework to the currently dominant frequentist approach and highlight advantages, such as seamless incorporation of historical data, continuous monitoring of evidence, and incorporating uncertainty about the true data generating process. Methods We illustrate the application of the outlined Bayesian approaches on an example data set, retrospective re-analyzing a colon cancer trial. We assess the performance of Bayesian parametric survival analysis and maximum likelihood survival models with AIC/BIC model selection in fixed-n and sequential designs with a simulation study. Results In the retrospective re-analysis of the example data set, the Bayesian framework provided evidence for the absence of a positive treatment effect of adding Cetuximab to FOLFOX6 regimen on disease-free survival in patients with resected stage III colon cancer. Furthermore, the Bayesian sequential analysis would have terminated the trial 10.3 months earlier than the standard frequentist analysis. In a simulation study with sequential designs, the Bayesian framework on average reached a decision in almost half the time required by the frequentist counterparts, while maintaining the same power, and an appropriate false-positive rate. Under model misspecification, the Bayesian framework resulted in higher false-negative rate compared to the frequentist counterparts, which resulted in a higher proportion of undecided trials. In fixed-n designs, the Bayesian framework showed slightly higher power, slightly elevated error rates, and lower bias and RMSE when estimating treatment effects in small samples. We found no noticeable differences for survival predictions. We have made the analytic approach readily available to other researchers in the RoBSA R package. Conclusions The outlined Bayesian framework provides several benefits when applied to parametric survival analyses. It uses data more efficiently, is capable of considerably shortening the length of clinical trials, and provides a richer set of inferences. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12874-022-01676-9.
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8
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Rosser AE, Busse ME, Gray WP, Badin RA, Perrier AL, Wheelock V, Cozzi E, Martin UP, Salado-Manzano C, Mills LJ, Drew C, Goldman SA, Canals JM, Thompson LM. Translating cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases: Huntington's disease as a model disorder. Brain 2022; 145:1584-1597. [PMID: 35262656 PMCID: PMC9166564 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been substantial progress in the development of regenerative medicine strategies for CNS disorders over the last decade, with progression to early clinical studies for some conditions. However, there are multiple challenges along the translational pipeline, many of which are common across diseases and pertinent to multiple donor cell types. These include defining the point at which the preclinical data are sufficiently compelling to permit progression to the first clinical studies; scaling-up, characterization, quality control and validation of the cell product; design, validation and approval of the surgical device; and operative procedures for safe and effective delivery of cell product to the brain. Furthermore, clinical trials that incorporate principles of efficient design and disease-specific outcomes are urgently needed (particularly for those undertaken in rare diseases, where relatively small cohorts are an additional limiting factor), and all processes must be adaptable in a dynamic regulatory environment. Here we set out the challenges associated with the clinical translation of cell therapy, using Huntington's disease as a specific example, and suggest potential strategies to address these challenges. Huntington's disease presents a clear unmet need, but, importantly, it is an autosomal dominant condition with a readily available gene test, full genetic penetrance and a wide range of associated animal models, which together mean that it is a powerful condition in which to develop principles and test experimental therapeutics. We propose that solving these challenges in Huntington's disease would provide a road map for many other neurological conditions. This white paper represents a consensus opinion emerging from a series of meetings of the international translational platforms Stem Cells for Huntington's Disease and the European Huntington's Disease Network Advanced Therapies Working Group, established to identify the challenges of cell therapy, share experience, develop guidance and highlight future directions, with the aim to expedite progress towards therapies for clinical benefit in Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Rosser
- Cardiff University Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK.,Cardiff University Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Life Sciences Building, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK.,Brain Repair and Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (B.R.A.I.N.) Biomedical Research Unit, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4EP, UK
| | - Monica E Busse
- Cardiff University Centre for Trials Research, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences Cardiff University, 4th Floor Neuadd Meirionnydd, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4YS, UK
| | - William P Gray
- Cardiff University Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK.,Brain Repair and Intracranial Neurotherapeutics (B.R.A.I.N.) Biomedical Research Unit, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4EP, UK.,University Hospital of Wales Healthcare NHS Trust, Department of Neurosurgery, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK
| | - Romina Aron Badin
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Molecular Imaging Research Center, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Anselme L Perrier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Molecular Imaging Research Center, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Vicki Wheelock
- University of California Davis, Department of Neurology, 95817 Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Emanuele Cozzi
- Transplant Immunology Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, Padua University Hospital-Ospedale Giustinianeo, Padova, Italy
| | - Unai Perpiña Martin
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Creatio-Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Salado-Manzano
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Creatio-Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura J Mills
- Cardiff University Centre for Trials Research, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences Cardiff University, 4th Floor Neuadd Meirionnydd, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4YS, UK
| | - Cheney Drew
- Cardiff University Centre for Trials Research, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences Cardiff University, 4th Floor Neuadd Meirionnydd, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4YS, UK
| | - Steven A Goldman
- Centre for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester, 14642 Rochester, NY, USA.,University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, DK-2200 Kobenhavn, Denmark
| | - Josep M Canals
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Creatio-Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- University of California Irvine, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, 92697 Irvine, CA, USA
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Partington G, Cro S, Mason A, Phillips R, Cornelius V. Design and analysis features used in small population and rare disease trials: A targeted review. J Clin Epidemiol 2021; 144:93-101. [PMID: 34910979 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Frequentist trials in Rare disease/small population trials often require unfeasibly large sample size to detect minimum clinically important differences. A targeted review was performed investigating what design and analysis methods these trials use when facing restricted recruitment. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING Targeted Review searching EMBASE and MEDLINE for Phase II-IV RCTs reporting 'rare' disease or 'small population' within title or abstract, since 2009. RESULTS A total of 6,128 articles were screened with 64 trials eligible (4 Bayesian, 60 frequentist trials). Frequentists trials had planned power ranging 72-90% (median: 80%) but reported recruiting a mean of 6.6% below the planned sample size (n=38) [median 0%, IQR (-5%, 5%)], most used standard type 1 error (52 used 5% and 1 used 1%), and the average standardised effect was high (0.7) with 50% missing their assumed level. Of the 4 Bayesian trials, 3 used informed priors, 2 and 1 trials performed sensitivity analysis for the impact of priors on design and analysis respectively. Historical data, expert consensus, or both were used to construct informative priors. Bayesian trials required 30%-2400% less participants than using frequentist frameworks. CONCLUSION Bayesian trials required lower sample size through use of informative priors. Most frequentists didn't achieve their target sample size. Bayesian methods offer promising solutions for such trials but are underutilised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giles Partington
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, 1st Floor Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom W12 7RH.
| | - Suzie Cro
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, 1st Floor Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom W12 7RH
| | - Alexina Mason
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, United Kingdom WC1E 7HT
| | - Rachel Phillips
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, 1st Floor Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom W12 7RH
| | - Victoria Cornelius
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, 1st Floor Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom W12 7RH
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10
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Issues in Designing and Interpreting Small Clinical Trials. Can J Cardiol 2021; 37:1332-1339. [PMID: 33775881 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2021.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The randomised controlled trial (RCT) is a powerful approach for testing the effectiveness of various clinical interventions. Cardiology often benefits from large RCTs, which may be used to inform practice decisions ranging from primary prevention to advanced cardiac disease and/or acute cardiac care. RCTs in cardiology often need to be quite large to test for meaningful effects on clinical outcomes, because effect sizes are typically modest and clinical outcomes may take several years to occur after treatment initiation. However, a variety of small clinical trials are also carried out in the biomedical research enterprise; these are often difficult to design and interpret, because the objectives and needs of small clinical trials are quite variable. Some are pilot trials that may be used to refine processes or as part of the planning in advance of a larger trial designed to test therapeutic efficacy. Some are first-in-human or proof-of-concept studies that, also, will eventually be followed by one or more larger trials to test therapeutic efficacy. Some are intended to be stand-alone trials that are small for other reasons. In this paper, we explore some key issues related to design and interpretation of small clinical trials in cardiology. We broadly classify small trials into 4 types: 1) pilot trials, 2) early-stage or proof-of-concept trials, 3) rare diseases or difficult-to-recruit populations, and 4) underpowered trials. For each, we describe the appropriate objectives, analysis, and interpretation.
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11
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Fotheringham J, Latimer N, Froissart M, Kronenberg F, Stenvinkel P, Floege J, Eckardt KU, Wheeler DC. Survival on four compared with three times per week haemodialysis in high ultrafiltration patients: an observational study. Clin Kidney J 2020; 14:665-672. [PMID: 33623692 PMCID: PMC7886573 DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfaa250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The harm caused by the long interdialytic interval in three-times-per-week haemodialysis regimens (3×WHD) may relate to fluid accumulation and associated high ultrafiltration rate (UFR). Four-times-per-week haemodialysis (4×WHD) may offer a solution, but its impact on mortality, hospitalization and vascular access complications is unknown. Methods From the AROii cohort of incident in-centre haemodialysis patients, 3×WHD patients with a UFR >10 mL/kg/h were identified. The hazard for the outcomes of mortality, hospitalization and vascular access complications in those who switched to 4×WHD compared with staying on 3×WHD was estimated using a marginal structural Cox proportional hazards model. Adjustment included baseline patient and treatment characteristics with inverse probability weighting used to adjust for time-varying UFR and cardiovascular comorbidities. Results From 10 637 European 3×WHD patients, 3842 (36%) exceeded a UFR >10 mL/kg/h. Of these, 288 (7.5%) started 4×WHD and at baseline were more comorbid. Event rates while receiving 4×WHD compared with 3×WHD were 12.6 compared with 10.8 per 100 patient years for mortality, 0.96 compared with 0.65 per year for hospitalization and 14.7 compared with 8.0 per 100 patient years for vascular access complications. Compared with 3×WHD, the unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) for mortality on 4×WHD was 1.05 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78–1.42]. Following adjustment for baseline demographics, time-varying treatment probability and censoring risks, this HR was 0.73 (95% CI 0.50–1.05; P = 0.095). Despite these adjustments on 4×WHD, the HR for hospitalization remained elevated and vascular access complications were similar to 3×WHD. Conclusions This observational study was not able to demonstrate a mortality benefit in patients switched to 4×WHD. To demonstrate the true benefits of 4×WHD requires a large, well-designed clinical trial. Our data may help in the design of such a study.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Fotheringham
- Sheffield Kidney Institute, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield, UK
- School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Correspondence to: James Fotheringham; E-mail:
| | - Nicholas Latimer
- School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Marc Froissart
- Clinical Trial Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Florian Kronenberg
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Peter Stenvinkel
- Department of Renal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jürgen Floege
- Department of Nephrology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kai-Uwe Eckardt
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité–Universitätsmedizin-Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - David C Wheeler
- Department of Renal Medicine, University College London, UK
- George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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12
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Raad H, Cornelius V, Chan S, Williamson E, Cro S. An evaluation of inverse probability weighting using the propensity score for baseline covariate adjustment in smaller population randomised controlled trials with a continuous outcome. BMC Med Res Methodol 2020; 20:70. [PMID: 32293286 PMCID: PMC7092449 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-020-00947-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is important to estimate the treatment effect of interest accurately and precisely within the analysis of randomised controlled trials. One way to increase precision in the estimate and thus improve the power for randomised trials with continuous outcomes is through adjustment for pre-specified prognostic baseline covariates. Typically covariate adjustment is conducted using regression analysis, however recently, Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (IPTW) using the propensity score has been proposed as an alternative method. For a continuous outcome it has been shown that the IPTW estimator has the same large sample statistical properties as that obtained via analysis of covariance. However the performance of IPTW has not been explored for smaller population trials (< 100 participants), where precise estimation of the treatment effect has potential for greater impact than in larger samples. Methods In this paper we explore the performance of the baseline adjusted treatment effect estimated using IPTW in smaller population trial settings. To do so we present a simulation study including a number of different trial scenarios with sample sizes ranging from 40 to 200 and adjustment for up to 6 covariates. We also re-analyse a paediatric eczema trial that includes 60 children. Results In the simulation study the performance of the IPTW variance estimator was sub-optimal with smaller sample sizes. The coverage of 95% CI’s was marginally below 95% for sample sizes < 150 and ≥ 100. For sample sizes < 100 the coverage of 95% CI’s was always significantly below 95% for all covariate settings. The minimum coverage obtained with IPTW was 89% with n = 40. In comparison, regression adjustment always resulted in 95% coverage. The analysis of the eczema trial confirmed discrepancies between the IPTW and regression estimators in a real life small population setting. Conclusions The IPTW variance estimator does not perform so well with small samples. Thus we caution against the use of IPTW in small sample settings when the sample size is less than 150 and particularly when sample size < 100.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanaya Raad
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, W12 7RH, UK
| | - Victoria Cornelius
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, W12 7RH, UK
| | - Susan Chan
- Children's Allergy, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom, London, SE1 7EH, UK.,King's College London School of Life Course Sciences & School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King's Health Partners, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth Williamson
- Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Epidemiology and population health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Suzie Cro
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, W12 7RH, UK.
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13
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Bayar MA, Le Teuff G, Koenig F, Le Deley MC, Michiels S. Group sequential adaptive designs in series of time-to-event randomised trials in rare diseases: A simulation study. Stat Methods Med Res 2019; 29:1483-1498. [PMID: 31354106 DOI: 10.1177/0962280219862313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In rare diseases, fully powered large trials may not be doable in a reasonable time frame even with international collaborations. In a previous work, we proposed an approach based on a series of smaller parallel group two-arm randomised controlled trials (RCT) performed over a long research horizon. Within the series of trials, the treatment selected after each trial becomes the control treatment of the next one. We concluded that running more trials with smaller sample sizes and relaxed α-levels leads in the long term and under reasonable assumptions to larger survival benefits with a moderate increase of risk as compared to traditional designs based on larger but fewer trials designed to meet stringent evidence criteria. We now extend this quantitative framework with more 'flexible' designs including interim analyses for futility and/or efficacy, and three-arm adaptive designs with treatment selection at interim. In the simulation study, we considered different disease severities, accrual rates, and hypotheses of how treatments improve over time. For each design, we estimated the long-term survival benefit as the relative difference in hazard rates between the end and the start of the research horizon, and the risk defined as the probability of selecting at the end of the research horizon a treatment inferior to the initial control. We assessed the impact of the α-level and the choice of the stopping rule on the operating characteristics. We also compared the performance of series based on two- vs. three-arm trials. We show that relaxing α-levels within the limit of 0.1 is associated with larger survival gains and moderate increase of risk which remains within acceptable ranges. Including an interim analysis with a futility rule is associated with an additional survival gain and a better risk control as compared to series with no interim analysis, when the α-level is below or equal to 0.1, whereas the benefit of including an interim analysis is rather small for higher α-levels. Including an interim analysis for efficacy yields almost no additional gain. Series based on three-arm trials are associated with a systematic improvement in terms of survival gain and risk control as compared to series of two-arm trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Amine Bayar
- Service de Biostatistique et d'Épidémiologie, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.,CESP, Faculté de médecine - Université Paris-Sud, Faculté de médecine - INSERM, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Gwénaël Le Teuff
- Service de Biostatistique et d'Épidémiologie, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.,CESP, Faculté de médecine - Université Paris-Sud, Faculté de médecine - INSERM, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Franz Koenig
- Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marie-Cécile Le Deley
- Service de Biostatistique et d'Épidémiologie, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.,CESP, Faculté de médecine - Université Paris-Sud, Faculté de médecine - INSERM, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Unité de Méthodologie et Biostatistique, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France
| | - Stefan Michiels
- Service de Biostatistique et d'Épidémiologie, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.,CESP, Faculté de médecine - Université Paris-Sud, Faculté de médecine - INSERM, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
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14
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Brard C, Hampson LV, Gaspar N, Le Deley MC, Le Teuff G. Incorporating individual historical controls and aggregate treatment effect estimates into a Bayesian survival trial: a simulation study. BMC Med Res Methodol 2019; 19:85. [PMID: 31018832 PMCID: PMC6480797 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-019-0714-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Performing well-powered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of new treatments for rare diseases is often infeasible. However, with the increasing availability of historical data, incorporating existing information into trials with small sample sizes is appealing in order to increase the power. Bayesian approaches enable one to incorporate historical data into a trial’s analysis through a prior distribution. Methods Motivated by a RCT intended to evaluate the impact on event-free survival of mifamurtide in patients with osteosarcoma, we performed a simulation study to evaluate the impact on trial operating characteristics of incorporating historical individual control data and aggregate treatment effect estimates. We used power priors derived from historical individual control data for baseline parameters of Weibull and piecewise exponential models, while we used a mixture prior to summarise aggregate information obtained on the relative treatment effect. The impact of prior-data conflicts, both with respect to the parameters and survival models, was evaluated for a set of pre-specified weights assigned to the historical information in the prior distributions. Results The operating characteristics varied according to the weights assigned to each source of historical information, the variance of the informative and vague component of the mixture prior and the level of commensurability between the historical and new data. When historical and new controls follow different survival distributions, we did not observe any advantage of choosing a piecewise exponential model compared to a Weibull model for the new trial analysis. However, we think that it remains appealing given the uncertainty that will often surround the shape of the survival distribution of the new data. Conclusion In the setting of Sarcome-13 trial, and other similar studies in rare diseases, the gains in power and accuracy made possible by incorporating different types of historical information commensurate with the new trial data have to be balanced against the risk of biased estimates and a possible loss in power if data are not commensurate. The weights allocated to the historical data have to be carefully chosen based on this trade-off. Further simulation studies investigating methods for incorporating historical data are required to generalise the findings. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12874-019-0714-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Brard
- Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, UVSQ, CESP, INSERM, F-94085, Villejuif, France. .,Service de biostatistique et d'épidémiologie, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, F-94805, Villejuif, France.
| | - Lisa V Hampson
- Statistical Methodology, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Gaspar
- Gustave Roussy, Département de cancérologie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, F-94805, Villejuif, France
| | - Marie-Cécile Le Deley
- Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, UVSQ, CESP, INSERM, F-94085, Villejuif, France.,Centre Oscar Lambret, Unité de Méthodologie et de Biostatistique, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Gwénaël Le Teuff
- Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, UVSQ, CESP, INSERM, F-94085, Villejuif, France.,Service de biostatistique et d'épidémiologie, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, F-94805, Villejuif, France
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15
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Mitroiu M, Rengerink KO, Pontes C, Sancho A, Vives R, Pesiou S, Fontanet JM, Torres F, Nikolakopoulos S, Pateras K, Rosenkranz G, Posch M, Urach S, Ristl R, Koch A, Loukia S, van der Lee JH, Roes KCB. Applicability and added value of novel methods to improve drug development in rare diseases. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2018; 13:200. [PMID: 30419965 PMCID: PMC6233569 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-018-0925-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ASTERIX project developed a number of novel methods suited to study small populations. The objective of this exercise was to evaluate the applicability and added value of novel methods to improve drug development in small populations, using real world drug development programmes as reported in European Public Assessment Reports. METHODS The applicability and added value of thirteen novel methods developed within ASTERIX were evaluated using data from 26 European Public Assessment Reports (EPARs) for orphan medicinal products, representative of rare medical conditions as predefined through six clusters. The novel methods included were 'innovative trial designs' (six methods), 'level of evidence' (one method), 'study endpoints and statistical analysis' (four methods), and 'meta-analysis' (two methods) and they were selected from the methods developed within ASTERIX based on their novelty; methods that discussed already available and applied strategies were not included for the purpose of this validation exercise. Pre-requisites for application in a study were systematized for each method, and for each main study in the selected EPARs it was assessed if all pre-requisites were met. This direct applicability using the actual study design was firstly assessed. Secondary, applicability and added value were explored allowing changes to study objectives and design, but without deviating from the context of the drug development plan. We evaluated whether differences in applicability and added value could be observed between the six predefined condition clusters. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Direct applicability of novel methods appeared to be limited to specific selected cases. The applicability and added value of novel methods increased substantially when changes to the study setting within the context of drug development were allowed. In this setting, novel methods for extrapolation, sample size re-assessment, multi-armed trials, optimal sequential design for small sample sizes, Bayesian sample size re-estimation, dynamic borrowing through power priors and fall-back tests for co-primary endpoints showed most promise - applicable in more than 40% of evaluated EPARs in all clusters. Most of the novel methods were applicable to conditions in the cluster of chronic and progressive conditions, involving multiple systems/organs. Relatively fewer methods were applicable to acute conditions with single episodes. For the chronic clusters, Goal Attainment Scaling was found to be particularly applicable as opposed to other (non-chronic) clusters. CONCLUSION Novel methods as developed in ASTERIX can improve drug development programs. Achieving optimal added value of these novel methods often requires consideration of the entire drug development program, rather than reconsideration of methods for a specific trial. The novel methods tested were mostly applicable in chronic conditions, and acute conditions with recurrent episodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Mitroiu
- Clinical Trial Methodology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Biostatistics and Research Support, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Katrien Oude Rengerink
- Clinical Trial Methodology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Biostatistics and Research Support, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Caridad Pontes
- Departament de Farmacologia, de Terapèutica i de Toxicologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Unitat Docent Parc Taulí, c/ Parc Taulí 1, 08208 Sabadell, Spain
- Unitat de Farmacologia Clínica, Hospital de Sabadell, Institut d’Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí I3PT - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, c/ Parc Taulí 1, 08208 Sabadell, Spain
| | - Aranzazu Sancho
- Departament de Farmacologia, de Terapèutica i de Toxicologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Unitat Docent Parc Taulí, c/ Parc Taulí 1, 08208 Sabadell, Spain
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, Research Institute Puerta de Hierro, C/Manuel de Falla, 1, 28222 Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Roser Vives
- Departament de Farmacologia, de Terapèutica i de Toxicologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Unitat Docent Parc Taulí, c/ Parc Taulí 1, 08208 Sabadell, Spain
- Unitat de Farmacologia Clínica, Hospital de Sabadell, Institut d’Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí I3PT - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, c/ Parc Taulí 1, 08208 Sabadell, Spain
| | - Stella Pesiou
- Departament de Farmacologia, de Terapèutica i de Toxicologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Unitat Docent Parc Taulí, c/ Parc Taulí 1, 08208 Sabadell, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Fontanet
- Departament de Farmacologia, de Terapèutica i de Toxicologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Hospital de Sant Pau, C/St Antoni Maria Claret 167, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ferran Torres
- Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- Medical Statistics Core Facility, IDIBAPS - Hospital Clinic Barcelona, C/Mallorca 183, Floor -1, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stavros Nikolakopoulos
- Clinical Trial Methodology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Biostatistics and Research Support, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Konstantinos Pateras
- Clinical Trial Methodology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Biostatistics and Research Support, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gerd Rosenkranz
- Section for Medical Statistics, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Posch
- Section for Medical Statistics, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Susanne Urach
- Section for Medical Statistics, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Robin Ristl
- Section for Medical Statistics, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Armin Koch
- Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Spineli Loukia
- Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Johanna H. van der Lee
- Paediatric Clinical Research Office, Woman-Child Center, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kit C. B. Roes
- Clinical Trial Methodology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Biostatistics and Research Support, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
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16
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Faustino EVS, Shabanova V, Pinto MG, Li S, Trakas E, Miksa M, Gertz S, Polikoff LA, Napolitano M, Brudnicki AR, Tala JA, Silva CT. Epidemiology of Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis in Critically Ill Adolescents. J Pediatr 2018; 201:176-183.e2. [PMID: 29891258 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the epidemiology of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in critically ill adolescents, which currently is unclear. STUDY DESIGN We performed a multicenter, prospective, cohort study. Adolescents aged 13-17 years who were admitted to 6 pediatric intensive care units and were anticipated to receive cardiopulmonary support for at least 48 hours were eligible, unless they were admitted with DVT or pulmonary embolism or were receiving or anticipated to receive therapeutic anticoagulation. While patients were in the unit, serial sonograms of the lower extremities were performed, then centrally adjudicated. Bayesian statistics were used to leverage the similarities between adults and adolescents. RESULTS A total of 88 adolescents were enrolled, from whom 184 lower extremity sonograms were performed. Of these, 9 adolescents developed DVT, with 1 having bilateral DVT. The frequency of DVT was 12.4% (95% credible interval: 6.1%, 20.1%), which ranged from 6.3% to 19.8% with a variability of 41.0% across units. All cases of DVT occurred in adolescents who received invasive mechanical ventilation (frequency: 16.5%; 95% credible interval 8.1%, 26.6%). DVT was associated with femoral central venous catheterization (OR 15.44; 95% credible interval 1.62, 69.05) and severe illness (OR for every 0.1 increase in risk of mortality 3.11; 95% credible interval 1.19, 6.85). DVT appears to be associated with prolonged days on support. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the similarities and differences in the epidemiology of DVT between adults and adolescents. They support the conduct and inform the design of a trial of pharmacologic prophylaxis in critically ill adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew G Pinto
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
| | - Simon Li
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
| | - Erin Trakas
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Golisano Children's Hospital, Rochester, NY
| | - Michael Miksa
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY
| | - Shira Gertz
- Department of Pediatrics, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ
| | - Lee A Polikoff
- Department of Pediatrics, The Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Massimo Napolitano
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ
| | - Adele R Brudnicki
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
| | - Joana A Tala
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, New Haven, CT
| | - Cicero T Silva
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
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17
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Cornelius V, Wilson R, Cro S, Barker J, Burden D, Griffiths CEM, Lachmann H, McAteer H, Reynolds N, Pink A, Warren RB, Capon F, Smith C. A small population, randomised, placebo-controlled trial to determine the efficacy of anakinra in the treatment of pustular psoriasis: study protocol for the APRICOT trial. Trials 2018; 19:465. [PMID: 30157880 PMCID: PMC6116430 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-018-2841-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Palmoplantar pustulosis is a rare but painful and debilitating disease. It consistently ranks the highest of all psoriasis phenotypic variants in terms of symptoms and functional impairment. Management of plaque-type psoriasis has been revolutionised in the last 10 years with the advent of biologic therapies, but treatment options for pustular psoriasis remain profoundly limited. On the basis of mechanistic findings which suggest a key pathogenic role for interleukin (IL)-1 in pustular psoriasis, we hypothesise that anakinra (IL-1 blockade) will be an efficacious treatment for pustular psoriasis. Methods/design We will conduct a two-stage, adaptive, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial to test the hypothesis that anakinra, self-administered daily by subcutaneous injection over 8 weeks, will deliver therapeutic benefit in palmoplantar pustular psoriasis, a localised form of pustular psoriasis typically involving the palms and/or soles. Safety outcomes will be collected for 20 weeks. A total of 64 participants will be randomised to anakinra or placebo in a 1:1 ratio. At the end of stage 1, a decision to progress to stage 2 will be made. This decision will take place after 24 participants have been randomised and followed for 8 weeks and will be based on the ordering of the observed mean outcome values in both treatment arms. At the end of stage 1, the reliability of outcome measurements and method to collect the data will also be assessed, and the primary outcome will be confirmed for stage 2. Discussion We have undertaken an adaptive approach in which we will gain proof-of-concept data prior to completing a powered efficacy trial because pustular psoriasis is a rare disease, no validated outcome measures to detect change exist, and limited safety data for anakinra exist in this population. To our knowledge, this will be the first randomised controlled trial that will provide valuable evidence for the efficacy and safety of IL-1 blockade for treatment in pustular psoriasis. Trial registration ISRCTN13127147. Registered on 1st August 2016. EudraCT, 2015-003600-23. Registered on 1st April 2016. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-018-2841-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Cornelius
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, W12 7RH, UK.
| | - Rosemary Wilson
- St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, 9th Floor Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Suzie Cro
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, W12 7RH, UK
| | - Jonathan Barker
- St John's Institute of Dermatology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - David Burden
- Department of Dermatology, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christopher E M Griffiths
- The Dermatology Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Helen Lachmann
- National Amyloidosis Centre, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London, UK
| | - Helen McAteer
- The Psoriasis Association, Dick Coles House, 2 Queensbridge, Northampton, UK
| | - Nick Reynolds
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Department of Dermatology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Andrew Pink
- St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, 9th Floor Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Richard B Warren
- The Dermatology Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Francesca Capon
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, King's College London, 9th Floor Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, UK
| | - Catherine Smith
- St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, 9th Floor Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
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18
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Ristl R, Urach S, Rosenkranz G, Posch M. Methods for the analysis of multiple endpoints in small populations: A review. J Biopharm Stat 2018; 29:1-29. [PMID: 29985752 DOI: 10.1080/10543406.2018.1489402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
While current guidelines generally recommend single endpoints for primary analyses of confirmatory clinical trials, it is recognized that certain settings require inference on multiple endpoints for comprehensive conclusions on treatment effects. Furthermore, combining treatment effect estimates from several outcome measures can increase the statistical power of tests. Such an efficient use of resources is of special relevance for trials in small populations. This paper reviews approaches based on a combination of test statistics or measurements across endpoints as well as multiple testing procedures that allow for confirmatory conclusions on individual endpoints. We especially focus on feasibility in trials with small sample sizes and do not solely rely on asymptotic considerations. A systematic literature search in the Scopus database, supplemented by a manual search, was performed to identify research papers on analysis methods for multiple endpoints with relevance to small populations. The identified methods were grouped into approaches that combine endpoints into a single measure to increase the power of statistical tests and methods to investigate differential treatment effects in several individual endpoints by multiple testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Ristl
- a Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems , Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
| | - Susanne Urach
- a Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems , Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
| | - Gerd Rosenkranz
- a Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems , Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
| | - Martin Posch
- a Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems , Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
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Wallach JD, Ross JS, Naci H. The US Food and Drug Administration’s expedited approval programs: Evidentiary standards, regulatory trade-offs, and potential improvements. Clin Trials 2018; 15:219-229. [DOI: 10.1177/1740774518770648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The US Food and Drug Administration has several regulatory programs and pathways to expedite the development and approval of therapeutic agents aimed at treating serious or life-debilitating conditions. A common feature of these programs is the regulatory flexibility, which allows for a customized approval approach that enables market authorization on the basis of less rigorous evidence, in exchange for requiring postmarket evidence generation. An increasing share of therapeutic agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration in recent years are associated with expedited programs. In this article, we provide an overview of the evidentiary standards required by the Food and Drug Administration’s expedited development and review programs, summarize the findings of the recent academic literature demonstrating some of the limitations of these programs, and outline potential opportunities to address these limitations. Recent evidence suggests that therapeutic agents in the Food and Drug Administration’s expedited programs are approved on the basis of fewer and smaller studies that may lack comparator groups and random allocation, and rather than focusing on clinical outcomes for study endpoints, rely instead on surrogate markers of disease. Once on the market, agents receiving expedited approvals are often quickly incorporated into clinical practice, and evidence generated in the postmarket period may not necessarily address the evidentiary limitations at the time of market entry. Furthermore, not all pathways require additional postmarket studies. Evidence suggests that drugs in expedited approval programs are associated with a greater likelihood that the Food and Drug Administration will take a safety action following market entry. There are several opportunities to improve the timeliness, information value, and validity of the pre- and postmarket studies of therapeutic agents receiving expedited approvals. When use of nonrandomized and uncontrolled studies cannot be avoided prior to market entry, randomized trials should be mandatory in the postmarket period, unless there are strong justifications for not carrying out such studies. In the premarket period, validity of the surrogate markers can be improved by more rigorously evaluating their correlation with patient-relevant clinical outcomes. Opportunities to reduce the duration, complexity, and cost of postmarket randomized trials should not compromise their validity and instead incorporate pragmatic “real-world” design elements. Despite recent enthusiasm for widely using real-world evidence, adaptive designs, and pragmatic trials in the regulatory setting, caution is warranted until large-scale empirical evaluations demonstrate their validity compared to more traditional trial designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Wallach
- Collaboration for Research Integrity and Transparency, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joseph S Ross
- Section of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Huseyin Naci
- LSE Health, Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
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20
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Fritz NE, Rao AK, Kegelmeyer D, Kloos A, Busse M, Hartel L, Carrier J, Quinn L. Physical Therapy and Exercise Interventions in Huntington's Disease: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review. J Huntingtons Dis 2018; 6:217-235. [PMID: 28968244 PMCID: PMC5676854 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-170260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Background: A number of studies evaluating physical therapy and exercise interventions in Huntington’s disease have been conducted over the past 15 years. However, an assessment of the quality and strength of the evidence in support of these interventions is lacking. Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the effectiveness of physical therapy and exercise interventions in people with Huntington’s disease, and to examine the perceptions of patients, families and caregivers of these interventions. Methods: This mixed-methods systematic review utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) approach and extraction tools to evaluate the literature from January 2003 until May 2016. The review considered interventions that included exercise and physical therapy interventions, and included both quantitative and qualitative outcome measures. Results: Twenty (20) studies met the inclusion criteria, including eighteen (18) that had quantitative outcome measures and two (2) that utilized qualitative methods. JBI Levels of evidence for the 18 quantitative studies were as follows: Eight studies were at evidence Level 1, seven were at Level 2, two were at Level 3, and one was at Level 4. Conclusions: Our review suggests that there is preliminary support for the benefits of exercise and physical activity in Huntington’s disease in terms of motor function, gait speed, and balance, as well as a range of physical and social benefits identified through patient-reported outcomes. Variability in mode of intervention as well as outcome measures limits the interpretability of these studies, and high-quality studies that incorporate adaptive trial designs for this rare disease are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora E Fritz
- Program in Physical Therapy, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Ashwini K Rao
- Program in Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitative and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Deb Kegelmeyer
- Physical Therapy Division, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
| | - Anne Kloos
- Physical Therapy Division, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
| | - Monica Busse
- Centre for Trials Research, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lynda Hartel
- Health Sciences Library, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Judith Carrier
- The Wales Centre for Evidence-Based Care, a Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence, School of Healthcare Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lori Quinn
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Abstract
False positive findings in science are inevitable, but are they particularly common in psychology and psychiatry? The evidence that we review suggests that while not restricted to our field, the problem is acute. We describe the concept of researcher 'degrees-of-freedom' to explain how many false-positive findings arise, and how the various strategies of registration, pre-specification, and reporting standards that are being adopted both reduce and make these visible. We review possible benefits and harms of proposed statistical solutions, from tougher requirements for significance, to Bayesian and machine learning approaches to analysis. Finally we consider the organisation and methods for replication and systematic review in psychology and psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Stahl
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics,Institute of Psychiatry,Psychology and Neuroscience,King's College London,London,UK
| | - A Pickles
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics,Institute of Psychiatry,Psychology and Neuroscience,King's College London,London,UK
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Mathoulin-Pélissier S, Pritchard-Jones K. Evidence-based data and rare cancers: The need for a new methodological approach in research and investigation. Eur J Surg Oncol 2018. [PMID: 29526369 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2018.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rare cancers are not so rare, their incidence is increasing and, as a group, they have worse survival than the common cancers. These factors emphasise the societal need to ensure sufficient focus on research into their biological basis, aetiological factors, new more effective therapies and organisation of healthcare to improve access to best practice and innovation. Accuracy of diagnosis is one of the first hurdles to be overcome, with around one third of tumours being reclassified - by type or risk group - when subject to a centralised pathology review process. Timely access to appropriate expert knowledge is a second challenge for patients - in Europe this is being addressed by the establishment of European Reference Networks (ERNs) as part of the EU cross border healthcare initiative. There are ERNs for adult solid and haematological cancers and childhood cancers, all of which are individually rare. These ERNs will facilitate creation of large databases of rare tumours that will incorporate knowledge of their molecular features and build an evidence base for the effectiveness of innovative, biology-directed therapies. With an increasing focus on 'real world' outcome data, research methodologies are evolving, to include randomised registry trials and data linkage approaches that exploit the ever-richer information held on patients in routine health care data. The inclusion of genomic analysis into cancer diagnosis, treatment and risk prediction raises many issues for the conduct of clinical research and cohort studies and personal data sharing. Sophisticated means of pseudonymisation, together with full involvement of affected and 'at risk' patients, are supporting novel research designs and access to data that will continue to build the evidence base to improve outcomes for patients with rare cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mathoulin-Pélissier
- Univ. Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Epicene Team, UMR 1219, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Clinical and Epidemiological Research Unit, INSERM CIC1401, Institut Bergonie, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, F-33000 Bordeaux, France.
| | - K Pritchard-Jones
- University College London, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
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23
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Rath A, Salamon V, Peixoto S, Hivert V, Laville M, Segrestin B, Neugebauer EAM, Eikermann M, Bertele V, Garattini S, Wetterslev J, Banzi R, Jakobsen JC, Djurisic S, Kubiak C, Demotes-Mainard J, Gluud C. A systematic literature review of evidence-based clinical practice for rare diseases: what are the perceived and real barriers for improving the evidence and how can they be overcome? Trials 2017; 18:556. [PMID: 29166947 PMCID: PMC5700662 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-017-2287-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence-based clinical practice is challenging in all fields, but poses special barriers in the field of rare diseases. The present paper summarises the main barriers faced by clinical research in rare diseases, and highlights opportunities for improvement. METHODS Systematic literature searches without meta-analyses and internal European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN) communications during face-to-face meetings and telephone conferences from 2013 to 2017 within the context of the ECRIN Integrating Activity (ECRIN-IA) project. RESULTS Barriers specific to rare diseases comprise the difficulty to recruit participants because of rarity, scattering of patients, limited knowledge on natural history of diseases, difficulties to achieve accurate diagnosis and identify patients in health information systems, and difficulties choosing clinically relevant outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Evidence-based clinical practice for rare diseases should start by collecting clinical data in databases and registries; defining measurable patient-centred outcomes; and selecting appropriate study designs adapted to small study populations. Rare diseases constitute one of the most paradigmatic fields in which multi-stakeholder engagement, especially from patients, is needed for success. Clinical research infrastructures and expertise networks offer opportunities for establishing evidence-based clinical practice within rare diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rath
- Orphanet, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France
| | - Valérie Salamon
- Orphanet, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France
| | - Sandra Peixoto
- Orphanet, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France
| | - Virginie Hivert
- EURORDIS – European Organisation for Rare Diseases, Paris, France
| | - Martine Laville
- Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Rhone-Alpes, Université de Lyon 1, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Groupement Hospitaler Sud, Pierre Benite, France
| | - Berenice Segrestin
- Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Rhone-Alpes, Université de Lyon 1, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Groupement Hospitaler Sud, Pierre Benite, France
| | | | - Michaela Eikermann
- Institute for Research in Operative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten and Brandenburg Medical School, Neuruppin, Germany
| | - Vittorio Bertele
- IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvio Garattini
- IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Jørn Wetterslev
- Copenhagen Trial Unit, Centre for Clinical Intervention Research, Department 7812, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rita Banzi
- IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Janus C. Jakobsen
- Copenhagen Trial Unit, Centre for Clinical Intervention Research, Department 7812, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cardiology, Holbæk Hospital, Holbæek, Denmark
| | - Snezana Djurisic
- Copenhagen Trial Unit, Centre for Clinical Intervention Research, Department 7812, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christine Kubiak
- European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN), Paris, France
| | | | - Christian Gluud
- Copenhagen Trial Unit, Centre for Clinical Intervention Research, Department 7812, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Ray-Coquard I, Trama A, Seckl MJ, Fotopoulou C, Pautier P, Pignata S, Kristensen G, Mangili G, Falconer H, Massuger L, Sehouli J, Pujade-Lauraine E, Lorusso D, Amant F, Rokkones E, Vergote I, Ledermann JA. Rare ovarian tumours: Epidemiology, treatment challenges in and outside a network setting. Eur J Surg Oncol 2017; 45:67-74. [PMID: 29108961 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2017.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW More than 50% of all gynaecological cancers can be classified as rare tumours (defined as an annual incidence of <6 per 100,000) and such tumours represent an important challenge for clinicians. RECENT FINDINGS Rare cancers account for more than one fifth of all new cancer diagnoses, more than any of the single common cancers alone. Reviewing the RARECAREnet database, some of the tumours occur infrequently, whilst others because of their natural history have a high prevalence, and therefore appear to be more common, although their incidence is also rare. Harmonization of medical practice, guidelines and novel trials are needed to identify rare tumours and facilitate the development of new treatments. Ovarian tumours are the focus of this review, but we comment on other rare gynaecological tumours, as the diagnosis and treatment challenges faced are similar. FUTURE This requires European collaboration, international partnerships, harmonization of treatment and collaboration to overcome the regulatory barriers to conduct international trials. Whilst randomized trials can be done in many tumour types, there are some for which conducting even single arm studies may be challenging. For these tumours alternative study designs, robust collection of data through national registries and audits could lead to improvements in the treatment of rare tumours. In addition, concentring the care of patients with rare tumours into a limited number of centres will help to build expertise, facilitate trials and improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Ray-Coquard
- Dpt of Medical Oncology, Centre Leon Berard, University Claude Bernard LyonI, Lyon, France.
| | - AnnaLisa Trama
- AnnaLisa Trama, Fondazione IRCCS istituto nazionale dei tumori Milan, Italy
| | - M J Seckl
- Charing Cross Hospital, Campus of Imperial College London, Fulham Palace Rd, W68RF London, UK
| | - C Fotopoulou
- Dept of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK
| | - P Pautier
- Medical Oncology, Dpt Gustave Roussy Institution, Villejuif, France
| | - S Pignata
- Medical Oncology, Department of Urology and Gynecology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori - IRCSS - Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples Italy
| | - G Kristensen
- Dept of Gynecologic Oncology, Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - G Mangili
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - H Falconer
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet/University Hospital, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - L Massuger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboudumc, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - J Sehouli
- Department of Gynecology with Center for Oncological Surgery, European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Medical University of Berlin, Germany
| | | | - D Lorusso
- Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS istituto nazionale dei tumori Milan, Italy
| | - F Amant
- Center Gynaecologic Oncology Amsterdam (CGOA), Netherlands Cancer Institute, University of Amsterdam & Gynaecologic Oncology KU Leuven, The Netherlands
| | - E Rokkones
- Dept. of Gynaecological Oncology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Division of Cancer Medicine Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950 Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway
| | - I Vergote
- Gynaecological Oncologist, University Hospital Leuven, European Union, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Busse M, Quinn L, Drew C, Kelson M, Trubey R, McEwan K, Jones C, Townson J, Dawes H, Tudor-Edwards R, Rosser A, Hood K. Physical Activity Self-Management and Coaching Compared to Social Interaction in Huntington Disease: Results From the ENGAGE-HD Randomized, Controlled Pilot Feasibility Trial. Phys Ther 2017; 97:625-639. [PMID: 28371942 PMCID: PMC5803757 DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzx031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Self-management and self-efficacy for physical activity is not routinely considered in neurologic rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE This study assessed feasibility and outcomes of a 14-week physical activity self-management and coaching intervention compared with social contact in Huntington disease (HD) to inform the design of a future full-scale trial. DESIGN Assessor blind, multisite, randomized pilot feasibility trial. SETTING Participants were recruited and assessed at baseline, 16 weeks following randomization, and then again at 26 weeks in HD specialist clinics with intervention delivery by trained coaches in the participants' homes. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTION People with HD were allocated to the ENGAGE-HD physical activity coaching intervention or a social interaction intervention. MEASUREMENTS Eligibility, recruitment, retention, and intervention participation were determined at 16 weeks. Other outcomes of interest included measures of mobility, self-efficacy, physical activity, and disease-specific measures of motor and cognition. Fidelity and costs for both the physical activity and social comparator interventions were established. RESULTS Forty percent ( n = 46) of eligible patients were enrolled; 22 were randomized to the physical intervention and 24 to social intervention. Retention rates in the physical intervention and social intervention were 77% and 92%, respectively. Minimum participation criteria were achieved by 82% of participants in the physical intervention and 100% in the social intervention. There was no indication of between-group treatment effects on function; however, increases in self-efficacy for exercise and self-reported levels of physical activity in the physical intervention lend support to our predefined intervention logic model. LIMITATIONS The use of self-report measures may have introduced bias. CONCLUSIONS An HD physical activity self-management and coaching intervention is feasible and worthy of further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Busse
- M. Busse, PhD, South East Wales Trials Unit, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4YS, United Kingdom
| | - Lori Quinn
- L. Quinn, EdD, Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, and Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University
| | - Cheney Drew
- C. Drew, PhD, South East Wales Trials Unit, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University
| | - Mark Kelson
- M. Kelson, PhD, South East Wales Trials Unit, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University
| | - Rob Trubey
- R. Trubey, PhD, South East Wales Trials Unit, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University
| | - Kirsten McEwan
- K. McEwan, PhD, South East Wales Trials Unit, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University
| | - Carys Jones
- C. Jones, PhD, Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation, Bangor University
| | - Julia Townson
- J. Townson, BSc, South East Wales Trials Unit, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University
| | - Helen Dawes
- H. Dawes, PhD, Oxford Institute of Nursing and Allied Health Research, Oxford Brookes University
| | - Rhiannon Tudor-Edwards
- R. Tudor-Edwards, PhD, Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation, Bangor University
| | - Anne Rosser
- A. Rosser, PhD, Cardiff Brain Repair Group, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, Cardiff University
| | - Kerenza Hood
- K. Hood, PhD, South East Wales Trials Unit, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University
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Roes KCB. A framework: make it useful to guide and improve practice of clinical trial design in smaller populations. BMC Med 2016; 14:195. [PMID: 27884148 PMCID: PMC5123315 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-016-0752-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The increased attention to design and analysis of randomised clinical trials in small populations has triggered thinking regarding the most appropriate design methods for a particular clinical research question. Decision schemes and algorithms have been proposed, with varying starting points and foci. Parmar et al. (BMC Medicine 14:183, 2016) proposed a framework designed to assist the clinical trial team in design choices during protocol preparation. Herein, further stimulus is given regarding the extent to which a framework may help change practice for the better, the careful considerations for changing the usual error levels applied and the room for innovation in clinical trial design.Please see related article: http://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-016-0722-3 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Kit C B Roes
- Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Biostatistics and Research Support, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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