Composite endpoint for ALS clinical trials based on patient preference: Patient-Ranked Order of Function (PROOF)

BACKGROUND: Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) show considerable variation in symptoms. Treatments targeting an overall improvement in symptomatology may not address what the majority of patients consider to be most important. Here, we propose a composite endpoint for ALS clinical trials that weighs the improvement in symptoms compared with what the patient population actually wants. METHODS: An online questionnaire was sent out to a population-based registry in The Netherlands. Patients with ALS were asked to score functional domains with a validated self-reported questionnaire, and rank the order of importance of each domain. This information was used to estimate variability in patient preferences and to develop the Patient-Ranked Order of Function (PROOF) endpoint. RESULTS: There was extensive variability in patient preferences among the 433 responders. The majority of the patients (62.1%) preferred to prioritise certain symptoms over others when evaluating treatments. The PROOF endpoint was established by comparing each patient in the treatment arm to each patient in the placebo arm, based on their preferred order of functional domains. PROOF averages all pairwise comparisons, and reflects the probability that a patient receiving treatment has a better outcome on domains that are most important to them, compared with a patient receiving placebo. By means of simulation we illustrate how incorporating patient preference may upgrade or downgrade trial results. CONCLUSIONS: The PROOF endpoint provides a balanced patient-focused analysis of the improvement in function and may help to refine the risk-benefit assessment of new treatments for ALS

A placebo-controlled trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of Penicillin G/Hydrocortisone in patients with ALS (PHALS trial)

Objective: A recent case-series described patients with ALS to improve and/or stabilize after treatment with intravenous high-dose Penicillin G/Hydrocortisone (PenGH). In this study, we determine the safety and efficacy of intravenous PenGH versus placebo in combination with riluzole in patients with ALS.Methods: Patients diagnosed with ALS according to the El Escorial criteria were randomized double-blind to four quarterly cycles of 21 d of intravenous PenGH or placebo in a 5:3 ratio. The primary outcome was change from baseline to week 48 in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R). Secondary outcomes were lung function, muscle strength, plasma creatinine, clinical stage, gastrostomy placement, quality of life and occurrence of adverse of events.Results: In total, 16 patients were randomized (10 PenGH and 6 placebo), of which 6 (40%) completed the study. Patients treated with PenGH progressed with 2.2 (95% CI 1.1-3.3) ALSFRS-R points per month and PenGH treatment did not halt disease progression (p = 0.002). No significant differences were found between PenGH or placebo (mean difference 0.5, 95% CI -1.01 to ∞, p = 0.28). Although PenGH was well-tolerated, 6 patients (38%, 3 in each arm) had thrombotic complications due to the intravenous administration method.Conclusions: Treatment with PenGH does not halt disease or reverse progression in patients with ALS and showed no statistical difference with those who received placebo. Prolonged intravenous administration therapies may inflate thrombosis risk

Pattern of muscle strength improvement after intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in multifocal motor neuropathy

INTRODUCTION: In multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), knowledge about the pattern of treatment response in a wide spectrum of muscle groups, distal as well as proximal, after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) initiation is lacking. METHODS: Hand-held dynamometry data of 11 upper and lower limb muscles, from 47 patients with MMN was reviewed. Linear mixed models were used to determine the treatment response after IVIg initiation and its relationship with initial muscle weakness. RESULTS: All muscle groups showed a positive treatment response after IVIg initiation. Changes in SD scores ranged from +0.1 to +0.95. A strong association between weakness at baseline and the magnitude of the treatment response was found. DISCUSSION: Improved muscle strength in response to IVIg appears not only in distal, but to a similar degree also in proximal muscle groups in MMN, with the largest response in muscle groups that show the greatest initial weakness

Critical design considerations for time-to-event endpoints in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis clinical trials

Background: Funding and resources for low prevalent neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are limited, and optimising their use is vital for efficient drug development. In this study, we review the design assumptions for pivotal ALS clinical trials with time-to-event endpoints and provide optimised settings for future trials. Methods: We extracted design settings from 13 completed placebo-controlled trials. Optimal assumptions were estimated using parametric survival models in individual participant data (n=4991). Designs were compared in terms of sample size, trial duration, drug use and costs. Results: Previous trials overestimated the hazard rate by 18.9% (95% CI 3.4% to 34.5%, p=0.021). The median expected HR was 0.56 (range 0.33–0.66). Additionally, we found evidence for an increasing mean hazard rate over time (Weibull shape parameter of 2.03, 95% CI 1.93 to 2.15, p<0.001), which affects the design and planning of future clinical trials. Incorporating accrual time and assuming an increasing hazard rate at the design stage reduced sample size by 33.2% (95% CI 27.9 to 39.4), trial duration by 17.4% (95% CI 11.6 to 23.3), drug use by 14.3% (95% CI 9.6 to 19.0) and follow-up costs by 21.2% (95% CI 15.6 to 26.8). Conclusions: Implementing distributional knowledge and incorporating accrual at the design stage could achieve large gains in the efficiency of ALS clinical trials with time-to-event endpoints. We provide an open-source platform that helps investigators to make more accurate sample size calculations and optimise the use of their available resources

Functional Loss and Mortality in Randomized Clinical Trials for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: To Combine, or Not to Combine-That is the Estimand

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rapidly progressive disease leading to death in, on average, 3-5 years after first symptom onset. Consequently, there are frequently a non-negligible number of patients who die during the course of a clinical trial. This introduces bias in end points such as daily functioning, muscle strength, and quality of life. In this paper, we outline how the choice of strategy to handle death affects the interpretation of the trial results. We provide a general overview of the considerations, positioned in the estimand framework, and discuss the possibility that not every strategy provides a clinically relevant answer in each setting. The relevance of a strategy changes as a function of the intended trial duration, hypothesized treatment effect, and population included. It is important to consider this trade-off at the design stage of a clinical trial, as this will clarify the exact research question that is being answered, and better guide the planning, design, and analysis of the study

The distinct traits of the UNC13A polymorphism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

OBJECTIVE: The rs12608932 single nucleotide polymorphism in UNC13A is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) susceptibility, and may underlie differences in treatment response. We aimed to characterize the clinical, cognitive, behavioral, and neuroimaging phenotype of UNC13A in patients with ALS. METHODS: We included 2,216 patients with ALS without a C9orf72 mutation to identify clinical characteristics associated with the UNC13A polymorphism. A subcohort of 428 patients with ALS was used to study cognitive and behavioral profiles, and 375 patients to study neuroimaging characteristics. Associations were analyzed under an additive genetic model. RESULTS: Genotyping rs12608932 resulted in 854 A/A, 988 A/C, and 374 C/C genotypes. The C allele was associated with a higher age at symptom onset (median years A/A 63.5, A/C 65.6, and C/C 65.5; p < 0.001), more frequent bulbar onset (A/A 29.6%, A/C 31.8%, and C/C 43.1%; p < 0.001), higher incidences of ALS-FTD (A/A 4.3%, A/C 5.2%, and C/C 9.5%; p = 0.003), lower forced vital capacity at diagnosis (median percentage A/A 92.0, A/C 90.0, and C/C 86.5; p < 0.001), and a shorter survival (median in months A/A 33.3, A.C 30.7, and C/C 26.6; p < 0.001). UNC13A was associated with lower scores on ALS-specific cognition tests (means A/A 79.5, A/C 78.1, and C/C 76.6; p = 0.037), and more frequent behavioral disturbances (A/A 16.7%, A/C 24.4%, and C/C 27.7%; p = 0.045). Thinner left inferior temporal and right fusiform cortex were associated with the UNC13A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; p = 0.045 and p = 0.036). INTERPRETATION: Phenotypical distinctions associated with UNC13A make it an important factor to take into account in clinical trial design, studies on cognition and behavior, and prognostic counseling. ANN NEUROL 2020;88:796-806

Usefulness of a Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Response Test to Demonstrate Rapid Onset Analgesia with Phenytoin 10% Cream in Polyneuropathy

Purpose: Topical analgesics are an upcoming treatment option for neuropathic pain. In this observational study, we performed a double-blind placebo-controlled response test (DOBRET) in patients with polyneuropathy to determine the personalized analgesic effect of phenytoin 10% cream. Patients and Methods: In a double-blind fashion, 12 consecutive adult patients with symmetrical painful polyneuropathy and equal pain intensity of ≥4 on the 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) applied phenytoin10% cream on one painful area and a placebo cream on the corresponding contralateral area. We defined responders as patients who experienced a pain reduction ≥2 NRS points from baseline and ≥1 NRS point difference in pain reduction in favour of phenytoin 10% cream compared with placebo cream within 30 minutes after application. We also evaluated the percentage of pain reduction and frequency of 30% and 50% pain relief from baseline. Results: Six patients (50%) were responders. Compared with placebo cream, pain reduction was higher in phenytoin 10% cream-applied areas with mean difference in pain reduction of 1.3 (95% CI: 1.1 to 1.8; p<0.001) on the NRS and mean percentage difference in pain reduction of 22% (95% CI: 13% to 32%; p =0.03). All responders had at least 30% pain reduction, and 4 out of 6 had at least 50% pain reduction in the phenytoin 10% cream applied area. All non-responders had less than 30% pain reduction. No side effects were reported. Conclusion: A DOBRET is easy to perform, quickly identifies an analgesic effect in responders and could be a useful tool to personalize neuropathic pain treatment with topical formulations

Quantification of disease progression in spinal muscular atrophy with muscle MRI-a pilot study

Objectives: Quantitative MRI (qMRI) of muscles is a promising tool to measure disease progression or to assess therapeutic effects in neuromuscular diseases. Longitudinal imaging studies are needed to show sensitivity of qMRI in detecting disease progression in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In this pilot study we therefore studied one-year changes in quantitative MR parameters in relation to clinical scores. Methods: We repeated quantitative 3 T MR analysis of thigh muscles and clinical testing one year after baseline in 10 treatment-naïve patients with SMA, 5 with Type 2 (21.6 ± 7.0 years) and 5 with Type 3 (33.4 ± 11.9 years). MR protocol consisted of Dixon, T 2 mapping and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The temporal relation of parameters was examined with a mixed model. Results: We detected a significant increase in fat fraction (baseline, 38.2% SE 0.6; follow-up, 39.5% SE 0.6; +1.3%, p = 0.001) in all muscles. Muscles with moderate to high fat infiltration at baseline show a larger increase over time (+1.6%, p < 0.001). We did not find any changes in DTI parameters except for low fat-infiltration muscles (m. adductor longus and m. biceps femoris (short head)). The T 2 of muscles decreased from 28.2 ms to 28.0 ms (p = 0.07). Muscle strength and motor function scores were not significantly different between follow-up and baseline. Conclusion: Longitudinal imaging data show slow disease progression in skeletal muscle of the thigh of (young-) adult patients with SMA despite stable strength and motor function scores. Quantitative muscle imaging demonstrates potential as a biomarker for disease activity and monitoring of therapy response

Portable fixed dynamometry enables home-based, reliable assessment of muscle strength in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility, reliability, and sensitivity of remotely monitoring muscle strength loss of knee extensors using a novel portable fixed dynamometer (PFD) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS: We conducted a pilot study with a newly developed device to measure knee extension strength. Patients performed unsupervised PFD measurements, biweekly, for 6 months at home. We evaluated feasibility using adherence and a device-specific questionnaire. Reliability was assessed by (1) comparing unsupervised and supervised measurements to identify systematic bias, and (2) comparing consecutive unsupervised measurements to determine test-retest reliability expressed as intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM). Sensitivity to detect longitudinal change was described using linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: We enrolled 18 patients with ALS. Adherence was 86%, where all patients found that the device suitable to measure muscle strength at home; 4 patients (24%) found the measurements burdensome. The correlation between (un)supervised measurements was excellent (Pearson's r 0.97, 95%CI; 0.94 - 0.99) and no systematic bias was present (mean difference 0.13, 95%CI; -2.22 - 2.48, p  = 0.91). Unsupervised measurements had excellent test-retest reliability with an average ICC of 0.97 (95%CI: 0.94 - 0.99) and SEM of 5.8% (95%CI: 4.8 - 7.0). Muscle strength declined monthly by 1.9 %predicted points (95%CI; -3.0 to -0.9, p  = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Using the PFD, it proved feasible to perform knee extension strength measurements at home which were reliable and sensitive for detecting muscle strength loss. Larger studies are warranted to compare the device with conventional outcomes

Portable fixed dynamometry: towards remote muscle strength measurements in patients with motor neuron disease

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine (1) the test-retest reliability of a newly developed portable fixed dynamometer (PFD) as compared to the hand-held dynamometer (HHD) in patients with motor neuron disease (MND) and (2) the PFD's ability to reduce possible examiner-induced ceiling effects. METHODS: Test-retest reliability of isometric muscle strength of the quadriceps was measured in patients with MND and non-neurological controls using the HHD and PFD. Reliability was estimated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) using linear mixed effects models, and the Bland-Altman method of agreement. RESULTS: In total, 45 patients with MND and 43 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The ICC of the PFD was excellent and similar in both patients and controls (ICC Patients 99.5% vs. ICC Controls 98.6%) with a SEM of 6.2%. A strong examiner-induced ceiling effect in HHD was found when the participant's strength exceeded that of examiner. Employing the PFD increased the range of muscle strength measurements across individuals nearly twofold from 414 to 783 N. CONCLUSIONS: Portable fixed dynamometry may significantly reduce examiner-induced ceiling effects, optimize the standardization of muscle strength testing, and maximize reliability. Ultimately, PFD may improve the delivery of care due to its potential for unsupervised, home-based assessments and reduce the burden to the patient of participating in clinical trials for MND or other neuromuscular diseases