Completed

Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Nimodipine for the Neurological Manifestations of HIV-1

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What is being tested

Data Collection

Who is being recruted

Blood-Borne Infections+21

+ Urogenital Diseases

+ Genital Diseases

Over 18 Years
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Treatment Study

Phase 1
Interventional
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

HIV-infected patients may develop a condition known as HIV-Associated Motor / Cognitive Complex (also known as AIDS dementia complex) that causes damage to the nervous system, particularly the brain and spinal cord. Evidence exists that nimodipine protects nerve cells in culture from injury by HIV. Although nimodipine has been used in patients with other neurological problems, its safety and effectiveness in halting the progression of HIV-Associated Motor / Cognitive Complex is not yet known. Forty patients currently taking zidovudine (AZT) or any other approved antiretroviral agent will be randomized to one of three treatment arms: high-dose nimodipine, low-dose nimodipine, or placebo. Additionally, six patients who are intolerant to standard antiretroviral therapy will be randomized to receive high- or low-dose nimodipine. Nimodipine is administered by mouth concurrently with patients' prestudy dose of antiretroviral agent. Treatment is given for 16 weeks, and patients are followed every 4 weeks. As an option, all patients may receive an additional 16 weeks of low-dose nimodipine.

Official TitleRandomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Nimodipine for the Neurological Manifestations of HIV-1
NCT00000738
Principal SponsorNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details

36 patients to be enrolled

Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Treatment Study

These studies test new ways to treat a disease, condition, or health issue. The goal is to see if a new drug, therapy, or approach works better or has fewer side effects than existing options.

Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

Over 18 Years

Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers not allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Conditions

Pathology

Blood-Borne InfectionsUrogenital DiseasesGenital DiseasesAcquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeAIDS-Related ComplexMental DisordersBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesCommunicable DiseasesDementiaImmunologic Deficiency SyndromesImmune System DiseasesInfectionsNervous System DiseasesRetroviridae InfectionsRNA Virus InfectionsSexually Transmitted DiseasesSlow Virus DiseasesVirus DiseasesSexually Transmitted Diseases, ViralAIDS Dementia ComplexHIV InfectionsLentivirus InfectionsNeurocognitive Disorders

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria Concurrent Medication: Allowed: * Alternative or additional antiretroviral agents if on a stable dose for 8 weeks prior to study entry. * Isoniazid. * Anticonvulsants. * Benzodiazepines and antidepressants (provided dose is stable prior to study entry). * Symptomatic therapies (e.g., analgesics, antihistamines, antiemetics, and antidiarrheal agents). * Maintenance therapy with clarithromycin, azithromycin, amikacin, ethambutol, clofazimine, ciprofloxacin, and rifampin for disseminated Mycobacterium avium infection. * Maintenance therapy for opportunistic infections (e.g., PCP, MAI, CMV). Patients must have: * Documented HIV infection. * HIV-Associated Motor / Cognitive Complex. * Acceptable neurological and neuropsychological impairment scores. * Estimated premorbid IQ of 70 or greater, consistent with completion of the sixth grade or ability to read at the sixth grade level. Current ability to read and comprehend a newspaper or history of such ability will satisfy this criterion for patients whose formal education stopped before the sixth grade. For patients who are illiterate, ability to make change from a dollar for a combined purchase of two items or the history of such ability will satisfy this criterion. In the absence of a functional definition, an age-correlated scaled score of \> 5 on the Vocabulary Subtest of the WAIS-R or WISC-R may be used to establish IQ. * Ability to provide written informed consent. Prior Medication: Required: * AZT for at least 12 weeks prior to study entry or any other approved antiretroviral agent (i.e., ddI or ddC) for at least 8 weeks prior to study entry, except in antiretroviral-intolerant patients who must be off antiretrovirals for at least 4 weeks. Exclusion Criteria Co-existing Condition: Patients with the following symptoms and conditions are excluded: * Active symptomatic AIDS-defining opportunistic infection (maintenance therapy for opportunistic infections, e.g., Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, Mycobacterium avium infection, and cytomegalovirus, is permitted). * Neoplasms other than basal cell carcinoma, in situ carcinoma of the cervix, or Kaposi's sarcoma without evidence of visceral involvement or that do not require systemic chemotherapy. * Confounding neurological disorders, including the following: * a) neurologic disease unrelated to HIV infection (such as multiple sclerosis, documented stroke, degenerative disease); b) chronic seizure disorders or head injuries if the condition results in functional impairment or is likely to interfere with evaluations; c) central nervous system (CNS) infections or neoplasms (such as toxoplasmosis, primary or metastatic CNS lymphoma, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, cryptococcal or other fungal meningitis, tuberculous CNS infections, or untreated neurosyphilis). * Severe premorbid psychiatric illness including bipolar illness, schizophrenia, and depression requiring electroconvulsive therapy. * Major depression likely to interfere with evaluation or protocol compliance. Concurrent Medication: Excluded: * Major psychotropic medication, including MAO inhibitors, phenothiazines, butyrophenones, barbiturates, or amphetamines (unless a stable dose is maintained for 30 days prior to study entry). * Any ongoing maintenance therapy for confounding neurological disorders. Patients with the following prior conditions are excluded: Confounding neurological disorders defined in the "Exclusion Co-existing Conditions" field. Prior Medication: Excluded: * Investigative drugs within 30 days prior to study entry. * Confounding calcium channel antagonists (such as nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem, and related drugs) within 4 weeks prior to study entry. Active alcohol or drug abuse.

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.

This study has 12 locations

Suspended

UCLA CARE Center CRS

Los Angeles, United StatesOpen UCLA CARE Center CRS in Google Maps
Suspended

Northwestern University CRS

Chicago, United States
Suspended

Indiana Univ. School of Medicine, Infectious Disease Research Clinic

Indianapolis, United States
Suspended

Massachusetts General Hospital ACTG CRS

Boston, United States
Completed12 Study Centers