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Lymphatic FilariasisNCT01629771

Disability and Quality of Life in Patients With Lymphatic Filariasis in Rural Southern India

An observational study of Lymphatic Filariasis, run by Northwestern University at 2 sites in 2 countries.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

According to the World Health Organization, lymphatic filariasis, a mosquito-borne parasitic disease, is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Across 81 countries, approximately 120 million people are infected with the disease, and of those infected, an estimated 40% reside in India alone. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Lymphatic Filariasis
How many people
72 participants
Where
2 sitesin 2 countries
Study dates
May 2012to Jun 2012
Phase
Observational
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
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: This study will be conducted in the Kasaragod district of Kerala, India. Subjects with a clinical diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis of a single body part or more will be recruited from the Institute of Applied Dermatology, and age-matched controls

Case Inclusion Criteria

  • Subjects with a clinical diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis
  • Subjects over the age of 18 and able to give consent

Case Exclusion Criteria

  • Subjects on active treatment for lymphatic filariasis
  • Subjects who are under the age of 18 or unable to give informed consent

Control Inclusion Criteria

  • Subjects without a clinical diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis
  • Subjects over the age of 18 and able to give consent

Control Exclusion Criteria

  • Subjects without a clinical diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis
  • Subjects who are under the age of 18 or unable to give informed consent

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 2 countries.

2 sites in 2 countries

United States1 site
  • Northwestern University Department of Dermatology

    Chicago, Illinois, 60611

Other trials in United States

India1 site
  • Institute of Applied Dermatology

    Kasaragod District, Kerala

Other trials in India

About this study

According to the World Health Organization, lymphatic filariasis, a mosquito-borne parasitic disease, is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Across 81 countries, approximately 120 million people are infected with the disease, and of those infected, an estimated 40% reside in India alone. The most disfiguring symptoms of lymphatic filariasis, elephantiasis and lymphedema, cause long-term suffering in patients who are then often embarrassed or even rejected from their communities. Because of the disease's debilitating physical and social effects on patients, this study will explore the intersection of disability and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in lymphatic filariasis patients in India. Specifically, HRQoL and disability in lymphatic filariasis subjects and age- and gender- matched control subjects will be compared. Two HRQoL tools , the general Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and a disease-specific instrument developed by a dermatology group in India will be used to gauge HRQol. In addition, the demographic and disease-specific factors associated with HRQoL and disability in filarial lymphedema subjects will be identified.

Medical subject headings
Elephantiasis, Filarial

What participants receive

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

Study groups in NCT01629771
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Lymphatic FilariasisNot described
Patients without Lymphatic FilariasisNot described

What is being measured

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

  1. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Domain Scores

    The DLQI is a 10-item questionnaire measuring skin-specific quality of life through six domains: Symptoms \& Feelings, Daily Activities, Leisure, Work \& School, Personal Relationships, and Treatment. Symptoms \& Feelings, Daily Activities, Leisure, and Personal Relationships are each scored from 0 to 3, where 0 is associated with no effect on a patient's life, and 3 is associated with a large effect on a patient's life. Work \& School and Treatment are each scored from 0 to 3, where 0 is associated with no effect on a patient's life, and 6 is associated with a large effect on a patient's life.

    Measured: Assessed after enrollment

  2. Lymphatic Filariasis-Specific Quality of Life (LFSQQ) Domain Scores

    The LFSQQ was developed to assess quality of life in subjects with lymphatic filariasis through seven domains: Mobility, Self-Care, Usual Activities, Disease Burden, Pain/Discomfort, Psychological Health, and Social Participation. Items are scored on a 5-point scale (no problem, mild, moderate, severe, most severe), and scores for each domain are calculated based on the number of questions answered and the raw scores. Scores for each domain range from 0 to 100, where 0 is associated with a worse quality of life and 100 is associated with a better quality of life.

    Measured: Assessed after enrollment

  3. World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) Domain Scores

    The WHODAS 2.0 is a generic health and disability assessment tool that describes effects of disease on six domains: Cognition, Mobility, Self-Care, Getting Along, Life Activities, and Participation in Society. Responses are measured on a 5-point scale from 1 (no difficulty) to 5 (extreme difficulty or cannot do). Scores are calculated using a WHO SPSS 36 version syntax for employed subjects and a WHO SPSS 32 version syntax for unemployed subjects. Scores for each domain range from 0 to 100, where 0 is associated with no impairment of health status, and 100 is associated with a greater impairment of health status.

    Measured: Assessed after enrollment

Timeline

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

  1. First posted28 Jun 2012 (estimated)
  2. Study startMay 2012
  3. Primary completionJun 2012
  4. Study completionJun 2012

Resources

More details

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

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
72 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01629771
Sponsor's protocol ID
STU63944
Status last verified
Feb 2014
First submitted
26 Jun 2012
Last updated
20 Mar 2014
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Michael E, Bundy DA, Grenfell BT. Re-assessing the global prevalence and distribution of lymphatic filariasis. Parasitology. 1996 Apr;112 ( Pt 4):409-28. doi: 10.1017/s0031182000066646.

    PubMed 8935952
  • Coreil J, Mayard G, Louis-Charles J, Addiss D. Filarial elephantiasis among Haitian women: social context and behavioural factors in treatment. Trop Med Int Health. 1998 Jun;3(6):467-73. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.1998.00238.x.

    PubMed 9657509
  • Recommendations of the International Task Force for Disease Eradication. MMWR Recomm Rep. 1993 Dec 31;42(RR-16):1-38.

    PubMed 8145708
  • Dreyer G, Noroes J, Figueredo-Silva J. New insights into the natural history and pathology of bancroftian filariasis: implications for clinical management and filariasis control programmes. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2000 Nov-Dec;94(6):594-6. doi: 10.1016/s0035-9203(00)90200-1. No abstract available.

    PubMed 11198637
  • Raju K, Jambulingam P, Sabesan S, Vanamail P. Lymphatic filariasis in India: epidemiology and control measures. J Postgrad Med. 2010 Jul-Sep;56(3):232-8. doi: 10.4103/0022-3859.68650.

    PubMed 20739779
  • Narahari SR, Aggithaya MG, Prasanna KS, Bose KS. An integrative treatment for lower limb lymphedema (elephantiasis). J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Feb;16(2):145-9. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0546. No abstract available.

    PubMed 20180687
  • Finlay AY, Khan GK. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)--a simple practical measure for routine clinical use. Clin Exp Dermatol. 1994 May;19(3):210-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2230.1994.tb01167.x.

    PubMed 8033378
  • International Society of Lymphology. The diagnosis and treatment of peripheral lymphedema. 2009 Concensus Document of the International Society of Lymphology. Lymphology. 2009 Jun;42(2):51-60. No abstract available.

    PubMed 19725269

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Lymphatic Filariasis, run by Northwestern University at 2 sites in 2 countries.

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

Who may be eligible to take part?

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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Mar 2014. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in United States, India. 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 2 Aug 2013). 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?

Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Domain Scores (time frame: Assessed after enrollment). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01629771, which also lists 8 linked publications.

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 20 Mar 2014.

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