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Tornese P, Lalli S, Cocco A, Albanese A. Review of disease-modifying drug trials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2022; 93:521-529. [PMID: 35228271 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2021-328470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
We analysed clinical trials of pharmacological interventions on patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and compared study quality and design features. The systematic review included articles published in PubMed and trials registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. Included studies were randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials assessing a disease-modifying pharmacological intervention. Studies were excluded if primary end points were safety or dose finding. A total of 28 735 articles and 721 current trials were identified. 76 published articles and 23 ongoing trials met inclusion criteria; they referred to distinct populations comprising 22 817 participants with ALS. Most articles and all current trials had parallel group design; few articles had cross-over design. A run-in observation period was included in about 20% of published studies and ongoing trials. Primary end points included functional assessment, survival, muscle strength, respiratory function, biomarkers and composite measures. Most recent trials had only functional assessment and survival. Risk of bias was high in 23 articles, moderate in 35, low in 18. A disease modification effect was observed for 10 interventions in phase II studies, two of which were confirmed in phase III. Three confirmatory phase III studies are currently underway. The present review provides cues for the design of future trials. Functional decline and survival, as single or composite measures, stand as the reference end points. Post hoc analyses should not be performed, particularly in studies using composite end points. There is a general agreement on diagnostic criteria; but eligibility criteria must be improved. Run-in observations may be used for censoring patients but are discouraged for refining participants' eligibility. The ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised needs improvement for use as an ordinal measure of functional decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Tornese
- Department of Neurology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Stefania Lalli
- Department of Neurology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Antoniangela Cocco
- Department of Neurology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Alberto Albanese
- Department of Neurology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy .,Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University, Milan, Italy
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Mitsumoto H, Factor-Litvak P, Andrews H, Goetz RR, Andrews L, Rabkin JG, McElhiney M, Nieves J, Santella RM, Murphy J, Hupf J, Singleton J, Merle D, Kilty M, Heitzman D, Bedlack RS, Miller RG, Katz JS, Forshew D, Barohn RJ, Sorenson EJ, Oskarsson B, Filho JAMF, Kasarskis EJ, Lomen-Hoerth C, Mozaffar T, Rollins YD, Nations SP, Swenson AJ, Shefner JM, Andrews JA, Koczon-Jaremko BA. ALS Multicenter Cohort Study of Oxidative Stress (ALS COSMOS): study methodology, recruitment, and baseline demographic and disease characteristics. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2014; 15:192-203. [PMID: 24564738 PMCID: PMC4310702 DOI: 10.3109/21678421.2013.864312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Abstract In a multicenter study of newly diagnosed ALS patients without a reported family history of ALS, we are prospectively investigating whether markers of oxidative stress (OS) are associated with disease progression. Methods utilize an extensive structured telephone interview ascertaining environmental, lifestyle, dietary and psychological risk factors associated with OS. Detailed assessments were performed at baseline and at 3-6 month intervals during the ensuing 30 months. Our biorepository includes DNA, plasma, urine, and skin. Three hundred and fifty-five patients were recruited. Subjects were enrolled over a 36-month period at 16 sites. To meet the target number of subjects, the recruitment period was prolonged and additional sites were included. Results showed that demographic and disease characteristics were similar between 477 eligible/non-enrolled and enrolled patients, the only difference being type of health insurance among enrolled patients. Sites were divided into three groups by the number of enrolled subjects. Comparing these three groups, the Columbia site had fewer 'definite ALS' diagnoses. This is the first prospective, interdisciplinary, in-depth, multicenter epidemiological investigation of OS related to ALS progression and has been accomplished by an aggressive recruitment process. The baseline demographic and disease features of the study sample are now fully characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center Department of Neurology Columbia University Medical Center 710 West 168 St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Howard Andrews
- Data Coordinating Center (DCC), Mailman School of Public Health Biostatistics Department, Columbia University
| | - Raymond R. Goetz
- New York State Psychiatric Institute & Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University
| | - Leslie Andrews
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Judith G. Rabkin
- New York State Psychiatric Institute & Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University
| | - Martin McElhiney
- New York State Psychiatric Institute & Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University
| | - Jeri Nieves
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
- Clinical Research Center, Helen Hayes
| | - Regina M. Santella
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Jennifer Murphy
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Jonathan Hupf
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center Department of Neurology Columbia University Medical Center 710 West 168 St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Jess Singleton
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center Department of Neurology Columbia University Medical Center 710 West 168 St, New York, NY 10032
| | - David Merle
- Data Coordinating Center (DCC), Mailman School of Public Health Biostatistics Department, Columbia University
| | - Mary Kilty
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | | | | | | | | | - Dallas Forshew
- Forbes Norris ALS Center, California Pacific Medical Center
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sharon P. Nations
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern
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Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form of motor neuron disease. ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease and clinical diagnosis typically takes many months to complete. Early disease diagnosis through the use of biomarkers may aid in correct clinical management of patients and possibly delay time to ventilator and morbidity. This review explores the progress of biomarker discovery efforts for ALS and the many challenges that remain. Included are different technologies utilized in biomarker discovery efforts (proteomic, genomic and metabolomic) and putative biomarkers uncovered using these techniques. These studies have discovered genetic mutations leading to familial forms of ALS, and specific protein alterations that occur in biological fluids (cerebrospinal fluid and blood) and/or tissues of ALS subjects. More recent high-throughput technologies have revealed panels of proteomic or metabolic biomarkers that can discriminate between ALS and control groups. The identification of disease-specific biomarkers will provide opportunities to develop early diagnostic measures as well as surrogate markers to monitor disease progression and test drug efficacy in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Bowser
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, ST S-420, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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Andres PL, Skerry LM, Munsat TL, Thornell BJ, Szymonifka J, Schoenfeld DA, Cudkowicz ME. Validation of a new strength measurement device for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis clinical trials. Muscle Nerve 2011; 45:81-5. [DOI: 10.1002/mus.22253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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