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LymphedemaACENCT01239160

Two Pneumatic Compression Devices in the Treatment of Lower Extremity Lymphedema

A study testing Flexitouch System and Hydroven FPR in people with Lymphedema, run by Tactile Medical at 22 sites in 3 countries.

Terminated

Stopped early. The study ended before it was planned to and will not resume.

Official record
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Trial summary

The treatment of lymphedema has been a major focus of attention for physicians and scientists for several decades. At this time, no successful techniques have been developed to prevent lymphedema, and therefore, a great deal of emphasis is placed on treatment modalities that can lessen the severity and impede the… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Lymphedema
What is being tested?
Flexitouch System and Hydroven FPR
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
238 participants
Where
22 sitesin 3 countries
Study dates
2 Nov 2010to 27 Jun 2012
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Subjects must be ≥ 18 years old or legal age in host country.
  • Subjects must have a diagnosis of primary or secondary late Stage 2 or 3 unilateral or bilateral lower extremity lymphoedema.
  • At time of initial evaluation, individuals must be at least 3 months post-surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment for cancer if applicable.
  • If subjects were treated in a clinic setting for lymphoedema (Phase 1 treatment) they must be at least 3 months post completion of their acute care.

Who cannot join

  • Diagnosis of active or recurrent cancer, or less than 3 months at the time of initial evaluation from the completion of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or primary surgery for the treatment of cancer.
  • Diagnosis of acute infection. The source of the infection must be treated for 2 weeks prior to admittance into the study.
  • Diagnosis of acute thrombophlebitis (in last 2 months)
  • Diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD): PAD is defined as an Ankle Brachial Index (ABI), of 0.7 or lower.
  • Diagnosis of pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis within the previous 6 months
  • Diagnosis of pulmonary edema
Show all 13Show fewer
  • Diagnosis of congestive heart failure (uncontrolled)
  • Diagnosis of chronic kidney disease with a Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) of less than 30 mls per minute.
  • Patients with poorly controlled asthma (i.e. those with severe persistent symptoms throughout the day, night time awakenings several times per week, use of a beta2 agonist inhaler several times per day and those whose normal activity is extremely limited).
  • Pregnancy
  • Any condition where increased venous and lymphatic return is undesirable
  • Inability or unwillingness to participate in all aspects of study protocol and/or inability to provide informed consent
  • Currently participating in another clinical trial

Trial locations and contacts

22 sites in 3 countries.

22 sites in 3 countries

United Kingdom11 sites
  • Royal Derby Hospital

    Derby, DE22 3NE

  • University of Glasgow

    Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8LL

  • St Oswalds Hospice

    Gosforth, NE25 8SU

  • Kendal Lymphology Centre

    Kendal, LA9 4BD

  • LOROS Hospice

    Leicester, Leics, LE3 9QE

  • King's Mill Hospital

    Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

  • Norfolk and Norwich University

    Norwich

  • Queens Medical Center

    Nottingham

  • Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University

    Swansea, West Glamorgan

  • Lymphoedema Clinic, Singleton Hospital

    Swansea, SA2 8QA

  • St Giles Hospice

    Whittington, WS14 9LH

Other trials in United Kingdom

United States10 sites
  • Carolinas Rehabilitation

    Charlotte, North Carolina, 28203

  • Northwestern University

    Chicago, Illinois, 60611

  • Fletcher Allen Health Care, Inc., University of Vermont

    Colchester, Vermont, 05446

  • University of Missouri-Columbia,Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, Lymphedema Therapy Clinic

    Columbia, Missouri, 65203

  • Ohio State University Medical Center

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210

  • Greenville Hospital Systems

    Greenville, South Carolina, 29615

  • Hope Research Institute

    Phoenix, Arizona, 85050

  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213

  • Prairie Education & Research Cooperative

    Springfield, Illinois, 62701

  • Stony Brook University Medical Center

    Stony Brook, New York, 11794-8191

Other trials in United States

Australia1 site
  • Flinders Medical Center

    Adelaide

Other trials in Australia

About this study

Official title: At Home Evaluation of Two Pneumatic Compression Devices in the Treatment of Lower Extremity Lymphoedema(ACE: At Home Compression Evaluation)

The treatment of lymphedema has been a major focus of attention for physicians and scientists for several decades. At this time, no successful techniques have been developed to prevent lymphedema, and therefore, a great deal of emphasis is placed on treatment modalities that can lessen the severity and impede the progression of this debilitating condition.

The treatment on offer usually consists of a maintenance phase using compression garments and an intensive treatment phase, which includes the use of skin care, compression bandaging, exercise and manual lymphatic drainage (MLD). The intensive phase is usually described as complex decongestive therapy (CDT). This is time consuming and requires high resource usage. Pneumatic compression devices (PCD) offer and alternative to MLD and can be used by the patient. There are a number of devices on the market that are categorized into 1. without calibrated gradient compression 2. With calibrated gradient compression.

This trial will compare two PCDs, a simple device without calibrated compression, and an advanced device with calibrated compression, in the reduction of swelling and maintenance of reduced limb volume in 262 patients with lower limb lymphoedema. The primary end point will be limb volume reduction over 12 weeks of treatment, with secondary outcome after 24 weeks.

Read the detailed description

This is a Multicentre, prospective, single (assessor) blind randomised study. The primary objective of the study is to assess volume reduction in the treatment of lymphoedematous legs with an advanced PCD compared to a simple PCD in patients with lower limb lymphoedema. The main outcome is the percentage volume reduction of the affected limb at end of treatment compared to baseline.

Secondary objectives of the study are Assessment of safety Quality of life Health economic parameters

In total 262 patients with leg lymphoedema will be enrolled into the study. Patients eligible for the study are those who suffer from late stage II and stage III according to the International Society of Lymphology lymphoedema staging. Lymphoedematous legs can be of primary or secondary origin and uni or bilaterally affected. Medical history will be taken at baseline.

Patients will be taught how to use the device they have been randomised to. Visits will then take place at weeks 1,4,8,12 and 24 weeks. The device will be used for up to 60 minutes each day on the trial limb. At each visit sequential circumferences of the affected and unaffected limbs will be measured with a tape measure.

All adverse events will be documented. At beginning and end of study quality of life questionnaires and health economic information will be completed by the patients.

At the Derby site assessment of tissue quality will be made using ultrasound and moisture meter to assess tissue fluid.

Conditions
Lymphedema
Being tested
Flexitouch System, Hydroven FPR
Keywords
lymphedema, pneumatic compression device, randomised clinical trial, volume reduction
Medical subject headings
Lymphedema

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Flexitouch SystemDevice

    A segmental, programmable, gradient pneumatic compression device. It consists of a controller and garment set. The garments are constructed of nylon and have 27-32 chambers, depending upon garment size. The pressure setting is variable between "normal" and "increased." The device is intended to be used for 60 minutes per day

  • Hydroven FPRDevice

    The FH is an intermittent sequential external pneumatic compression system. The garment contains 3 compression chambers. The pressure range of the compressor device is 30-100 mmHg. It is intended to be used for 60 minutes per day.

Study groups in NCT01239160
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Advanced PCDExperimentalThe use of an advanced PCD device to reduce and maintain limb volume
Receives: Device: Flexitouch System
Simple PCDActive comparatorThe use of the Simple PCD is to reduce and maintain limb volume
Receives: Device: Hydroven FPR

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Limb Volume Change Between Baseline and 12 Weeks of Treatment - ml

    Limb volume in ml as assessed using the tape measure method of collecting circumferential leg measurements to insert into the truncated cone formula for limb volume calculation. A positive score indicates volume reduction between baseline and the noted follow-up, while a negative score indicates volume increase.

    Measured: Baseline to 12 weeks was the primary outcome; other time points included for informational purposes.

  2. Limb Volume Change Baseline to 12 Weeks of Treatment - Percent

    Limb volume (percent change from baseline) as assessed using the tape measure method of collecting circumferential leg measurements to insert into the truncated cone formula for limb volume calculation. A positive score indicates volume reduction between baseline and the noted follow-up, while a negative score indicates volume increase.

    Measured: Baseline to 12 weeks was the primary outcome; other time points included for informational purposes.

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Adverse Events - Totals

    Adverse and serious adverse events will be recorded for patients for the duration of their participation in the trial

    Measured: Up to 24 weeks of treatment

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted11 Nov 2010 (estimated)
  2. Study start2 Nov 2010
  3. Primary completion26 Oct 2011
  4. Study completion27 Jun 2012

Why it stopped: Futility and underpowering of endpoint data

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
238 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01239160
Sponsor's protocol ID
Flexitouch 1010
Acronym
ACE
Status last verified
Oct 2020
First submitted
10 Nov 2010
Last updated
6 Nov 2020
Data monitoring committee
Yes
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Flexitouch System and Hydroven FPR in people with Lymphedema, run by Tactile Medical at 22 sites in 3 countries.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 13 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Nov 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 22 sites in United Kingdom, United States, Australia. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 14 Oct 2020). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Limb Volume Change Between Baseline and 12 Weeks of Treatment - ml (time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks was the primary outcome; other time points included for informational purposes.). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Nov 2020.

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