Clinical Trial: Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Treatment Trial

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: A Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study of Weight-Reduction and/or Low Sodium Diet Plus Acetazolamide vs Diet Plus Placebo in Subjects With Idiopathic I

Brief Summary: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), also called pseudotumor cerebri, is a disorder of elevated intracranial pressure of unknown cause [Corbett, et al., 1982; Wall, et al., 1991]. Its incidence is 22.5 new cases each year per 100,000 overweight women of childbearing age, and is rising [Garrett, et al., 2004] in parallel with the obesity epidemic. It affects about 100,000 Americans. Most patients suffer debilitating headaches. Because of pressure on the optic nerve (papilledema), 86% have some degree of permanent visual loss and 10% develop severe visual loss [Wall, et al., 1991]. Interventions to prevent loss of sight, all with unproven efficacy, include diet, diuretics such as acetazolamide, repeated spinal taps, optic nerve sheath fenestration surgery, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting procedures. The purported goal of these therapies is to lower intracranial pressure; however, it is unclear which treatments work and by what mechanism. None of these strategies has been verified by properly designed clinical trials. Thus, there is confusion, uncertainty, and weak scientific rationales to guide treatment decisions. This trial will study subjects who have mild visual loss from IIH to (1) establish convincing, evidence-based treatment strategies for IIH to restore and protect vision, (2) follow subjects up to 4 years to observe the long-term treatment outcomes and (3) determine the cause of IIH. To meet those aims, the trial will be divided into a 12-month intervention phase and a 3-year observational phase. Subjects are not required to complete the observational phase of the study, but will be asked to do so and consented for the observational phase of the study at the conclusion of the intervention phase (12 months).

Detailed Summary:

Clinical Phase: Phase II Investigators: NORDIC Network sites Study Centers: 38 study centers Coordinating Center - University of Rochester Statistical Center - University of Rochester Study Period Planned enrollment duration: 2 years Planned duration of treatment: 6 months followed by open-label treatment Planned duration of follow-up: 4.5 years Study Objectives: The primary objective is determining the efficacy of diet plus acetazolamide vs diet alone in reducing or reversing visual loss in subjects with mild visual loss.

The secondary objective is to identify proteomic and genetic risk factors for IIH by screening a large cohort of IIH patients and controls.

Study Population This project will enroll 166 individuals with IIH who are 18-60 years of age. We anticipate that the population will be primarily composed of women in the childbearing years that are overweight. 154 control subjects will also be enrolled. Control subjects will be matched as closely as possibly by age, sex, race, ethnicity and weight to subjects enrolled at the site.

Study Design: Multi-center, double-blind randomized intervention study followed by a 4-year observation period. Subjects will be randomized to diet and acetazolamide or diet and placebo. The study will use 250 mg acetazolamide or matching placebo tablets taken with food at meals and at bedtime. The subject will begin with one tablet four times daily, at meals and at bedtime for the first week. Beginning on Day 7, subjects will increase the dosage by 1 tablet every 4 days until a final dosage of 4 tablets four times daily (4 grams) is reached or side effects prohibit increasing the dosage further. If the study drug is not tolerated at a dose of 250 mg, then 125 mg (1/2 tablet) will be tried. If this is not tolerated, no pharmacologic treatm
Sponsor: St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center

Current Primary Outcome: Perimetric mean deviation change [ Time Frame: 6 Months from baseline ]

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome: Papilledema grade on fundus photography [ Time Frame: 6 Months ]

Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center

Dates:
Date Received: October 28, 2009
Date Started: January 2010
Date Completion:
Last Updated: March 3, 2015
Last Verified: January 2015