Low-Dose Oral Methotrexate vs Colchicine for Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
colchicine
+ methotrexate
+ ursodiol
Bile Duct Diseases+11
+ Biliary Tract Diseases
+ Cholestasis
Treatment Study
Summary
Study start date: November 1, 1989
Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.PROTOCOL OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind study. Patients are stratified by prior/concurrent medical management. Patients in the first group are treated with oral methotrexate 3 times a week and a daily oral placebo. Patients in the second group are treated with daily oral colchicine and an oral placebo 3 times a week. Therapy continues for 10 years. Beginning year 2, daily oral ursodiol is administered to all patients. Patients with disease progression are crossed to the alternate group or undergo liver transplantation if clinically indicated.
Protocol
This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.90 patients to be enrolled
Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.Treatment Study
Eligibility
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.Any sex
Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.Healthy volunteers not allowed
If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.Conditions
Pathology
Criteria
PROTOCOL ENTRY CRITERIA: --Disease Characteristics-- Biopsy proven primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC); Disproportionate increase in alkaline phosphatase; Positive antimitochondrial antibody test OR Symptoms consistent with PBC, e.g.: pruritus, fatigue, malaise, jaundice, elevated bilirubin No clinically advanced PBC, i.e.: bilirubin greater than 10 mg/dL or albumin less than 2.5 g/dL, determined by 2 analyses 10 weeks apart; bleeding esophageal varices or congestive gastropathy; chronic hepatic encephalopathy; chronic ascites --Prior/Concurrent Therapy-- No concurrent drugs associated with chronic liver disease --Patient Characteristics-- Hematopoietic: WBC at least 2500 Platelets at least 100,000 (unless due to hypersplenism); Hematocrit at least 30% Renal: No renal disease that could cause liver dysfunction Other: No history of alcohol abuse; No other medical illness that might cause liver dysfunction, e.g., severe cardiac failure; No pregnant women