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Dexa-Myositis Trial: treatment of polymyositis and dermatomyositis - dexamethasone versus prednisone
ISRCTN ISRCTN48188950
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier
Public title Dexa-Myositis Trial: treatment of polymyositis and dermatomyositis - dexamethasone versus prednisone
Scientific title
Acronym N/A
Serial number at source NTR169
Study hypothesis Dexamethasone pulse therapy is saver and as good as/or better than treatment with prednisone in patients with myositis.
Ethics approval Ethics approval received from the local medical ethics committee
Study design Multicentre, randomised, double blinded, active controlled, parallel group trial
Countries of recruitment Netherlands
Disease/condition/study domain Myositis, dermatomyositis, polymyositis
Participants - inclusion criteria 1. Polymyositis
2. Dermatomyositis
3. Myositis with rheumatological disorders
4. Myositis with cancer
5. Unspecified myositis
Participants - exclusion criteria 1. Myositis in family
2. Greater than 3/1000 rimmed vacuoles
3. Quick (less than 2 weeks) rise and spontaneous normalisation (less than 2 months) of serum creatine kinase (CK) level
4. Aged less than 18 years
5. Contra-indication for one of the two treatments
6. Desire to get pregnant or active pregnancy
7. No informed consent
8. Greater than 20 mg prednisone/day
Anticipated start date 01/07/2001
Anticipated end date 01/01/2008
Status of trial Completed
Patient information material
Target number of participants 80
Interventions 1. Dexamethasone pulse therapy. 40 mg/dag every first four days of the month, for 6 months. Placebo on the other days of the months.
2. Prednisolone 1 - 1.5 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks, after this slow reduction in dose

Both groups treatment against osteoporosis with calci-chew and Fosamax.
Primary outcome measure(s) 1. Combined scale: Rankin, muscle strength, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain, time until remission, no relapse, no cushing, no osteoporosis
2. Percentage patients in remission, time to remission, no relapse
3. General assessment of condition of patients
Secondary outcome measure(s) 1. Weight
2. Blood pressure
3. VAS arthralgia, Raynaud
4. Skin changes
5. CK
6. Myometry
7. VAS dysphagia
8. VAS agitation
9. Quality of life
10. Medication and dose
11. Other side effects
12. Neuromusclular symptom score
Sources of funding Princess Beatrix Funds (Prinses Beatrix Fonds) (The Netherlands)
Trial website
Publications
Contact name Dr  J.  van de Vlekkert
  Address Academical Medical Centre
Meibergdreef 9
  City/town Amsterdam
  Zip/Postcode 1105 AZ
  Country Netherlands
  Tel +31 (0)20 566 9111
  Email j.vandevlekkert@amc.uva.nl
Sponsor Academic Medical Centre (AMC) (Netherlands)
  Address Meibergdreef 9
  City/town Amsterdam
  Zip/Postcode 1105 AZ
  Country Netherlands
  Sponsor website: http://www.amc.uva.nl/
Date applied 20/12/2005
Last edited 16/09/2008
Date ISRCTN assigned 20/12/2005
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