TrialReader


Parasitic Ulcer Treatment Trial Pilot

NCT03484507 — Phase 2, Completed, 49 participants, University of California, San Francisco

ClinicalTrials Daily  ·  Areas  ·  Conditions  ·  Drugs  ·  Sponsors  ·  
RegistryNCT03484507
StatusCompleted
PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional; randomized, parallel, masking: triple, treatment
Enrollment49 (Actual)
SponsorUniversity of California, San Francisco (Other); collaborators: Research to Prevent Blindness
ConditionsAcanthamoeba Keratitis
InterventionsChlorhexidine, Povidone-Iodine, Prednisolone Sodium Phosphate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (Drug)
Datesstart 2018-01-01, primary completion 2022-11-15, completion 2022-11-15, first posted 2018-03-30, last updated 2026-05-07
Locations2 sites in India

Related Papers Related Patents Related Grants Related Experts
AI Assistant Save
All trials for Acanthamoeba Keratitis All trials of Chlorhexidine All trials of Povidone-Iodine

-Summary

This is a study of optimal treatments for acanthamoeba keratitis. In the first part of the study, participants will be randomized to chlorhexidine monotherapy or chlorhexidine plus povidone iodine. After four weeks of therapy, participants will be re-randomized to early corticosteroids, later corticosteroids, or placebo.

Expand all sections  ·  Collapse all

+Detailed description

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare eye infection that is difficult to treat. The mainstay of therapy is a biguanide agent such as chlorhexidine, though recent studies have found povidone iodine to be effective for killing acanthamoeba organisms in vitro. Thus, we randomize participants to topical chlorhexidine 0.04% monotherapy (i.e., routine care) versus topical chlorhexidine 0.04% plus topical poviodine iodine 2.5%. The primary outcome is clearance of acanthamoeba from the ocular surface at 4 weeks.

The role of topical corticosteroids in acanthamoeba keratitis is controversial. Topical corticosteroids can promote growth of acanthamoeba, but may also reduce inflammation and vision-threatening complications of infection. Here, we randomize participants who have completed a course of anti-amoebic therapy to one of three groups: early prednisolone sodium phosphate 1% (started at 4 weeks), late prednisolone sodium phosphate 1% (started at 6 weeks) or placebo (started at 4 weeks). The primary outcome will be visual acuity at 6 months.

+Arms and interventions

ArmTypeInterventionsDescription
Chlorhexidine monotherapyActive comparatorDrug: ChlorhexidineTopical chlorhexidine 0.04%
Chlorhexidine plus povidone iodineExperimentalDrug: Chlorhexidine; Drug: Povidone-IodineTopical chlorhexidine 0.04% plus povidone iodine 2.5%
Early corticosteroidsExperimentalDrug: Prednisolone Sodium PhosphateTopical prednisolone sodium phosophate 1% for weeks 4-11
Late corticosteroidsExperimentalDrug: Prednisolone Sodium Phosphate; Drug: Hydroxypropyl MethylcelluloseArtificial tears for weeks 4-5, then topical prednisolone sodium phosophate 1% for weeks 6-11
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorDrug: Hydroxypropyl MethylcelluloseArtificial tears for weeks 4-11
  • Chlorhexidine (Drug): 1 drop half-hourly for days 1-2, then hourly for days 3-6, then 8 times daily until the 4-week visit
  • Povidone-Iodine (Drug): 1 drop half-hourly for days 1-2, then hourly for days 3-6, then 8 times daily until the 4-week visit
  • Prednisolone Sodium Phosphate (Drug): 1 drop 4 times daily for weeks 4-9, then 2 times daily for weeks 10-11
  • Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (Drug): 1 drop 4 times daily for weeks 4-9, then 2 times daily for weeks 10-11
  • Prednisolone Sodium Phosphate (Drug): 1 drop 4 times daily for weeks 6-9, then 2 times daily for weeks 10-11
  • Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (Drug): 1 drop 4 times daily for weeks 4-5

+Outcome measures

Primary outcomes

  • Trial 1: Microbial clearance [4 weeks]: Acanthamoeba culture
  • Trial 2: Best spectacle corrected visual acuity [6 months]

Secondary outcomes

  • Trial 1: Best spectacle corrected visual acuity [4 weeks]
  • Trial 1: Time to re-epithelialization [4 weeks]
  • Trial 1: Clinical cure [4 weeks]
  • Trial 2: Time to clinical cure [6 months]

+Eligibility

Sex: All, ages: 13 Years to any

Trial 1 Inclusion Criteria:

* Smear or culture positive for acanthamoeba
* Age 13 years or greater

Trial 1 Exclusion Criteria:

* Interstitial or viral keratitis on history or examination
* Corneal perforation
* Therapeutic keratoplasty for acanthamoeba keratitis
* Unwillingness or inability to follow-up (e.g., living too far from hospital)

Trial 2 Inclusion Criteria

* Smear or culture positive for acanthamoeba, with 4 weeks of anti-amoebic treatment
* Age 13 years or greater
* Willing to participate in study

Trial 2 Exclusion Criteria

* Interstitial or viral keratitis on history or examination
* Fungus identified on culture and smear after 2 weeks of anti-amoebic treatment
* Corneal perforation
* Therapeutic keratoplasty for acanthamoeba keratitis
* Unwillingness or inability to follow-up (e.g., living too far from hospital)

+Locations (2)

FacilityCityCountryStatus
Aravind Eye HospitalCoimbatore, Tamil NaduIndia
Aravind Eye HospitalMadurai, Tamil NaduIndia

+Publications

  • Results publication: Rajaraman R, Kassaye I, Sharma SS, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Panigrahi A, Rammohan R, Aromin KM, Cook C, Porco TC, Lietman TM, Seitzman GD, Keenan JD. Adjunctive povidone-iodine for Acanthamoeba keratitis: a randomized trial. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2026 May 6;70(5):e0151225. doi: 10.1128/aac.01512-25. Epub 2026 Mar 31. PMID 41914638

+Investigators

My Notes