The usual first treatment for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is an antibiotic called trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX). However, some patients cannot take this medication because of allergies, side effects, or lack of response. This study asks the question: When TMP-SMX cannot be used, which alternative treatment for PCP provides the best balance of effectiveness and safety?
Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is a serious lung infection that affects people with weakened immune systems (e.g., patients with cancer, organ transplants, autoimmune diseases, or HIV). Without timely treatment, PCP can lead to respiratory failure and death. TMP-SMX is the standard first-line treatment, but 20-30% of patients cannot receive the treatment or cannot tolerate it due to allergic reactions, kidney problems, low blood counts, drug interactions, or treatment failure. In these situations, doctors use alternative medications such as clindamycin with primaquine, pentamidine, or atovaquone. Although these alternative treatments are widely used, there is limited modern research directly comparing them. As a result, treatment choices vary between hospitals and physicians. The main objective of this study is to determine which alternative treatment works best for patients with PCP who cannot receive TMP-SMX. Eligible participants in the PCP alternatives therapy are enrolled and randomized centrally 1:1 in the MUHC Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) system. The primary outcome is a Hierarchical composite Win Ratio Outcome at day 30: death; new extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), new invasive mechanical ventilation; severe (CTCAE grade 4) adverse drug event; and length of stay in hospital (amongst survivors). Secondary endpoints include individual components of the composite outcome, and tertiary endpoints include quality of life and longer-term outcomes through day 180.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
416
Participants randomized to this intervention will receive clindamycin in combination with primaquine as second-line therapy for the treatment of PCP. This regimen may be used for participants with Severe PCP or mild to moderate PCP in acccordance with protocol-defined disease severity and standard clinical practice.
Participants randomized to this intervention will receive pentamidine, administered intravenously, as second-line therapy for the treatment of PCP in patients with severe disease who are unable to tolerate or have contraindications to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX)
Participants randomized to. this intervention will receive atovaquone, administered orally, as second-line therapy for the treatment of PCP in participants with mild to moderate disease who are unable to tolerate or have contraindications to trimethoprim-sulfamethozaxole (TMP/SMX).
Hierarchical composite outcome
Hierarchical composite of Win Ratio at day 30: * death; * new extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), * new invasive mechanical ventilation; * severe (CTCAE grade 4) adverse drug event (dermatologic, nephrologic, hematologic, neurologic, and/or endocrinologic) considered at least probable (by Leape and Bates criteria); * new non-invasive ventilation; * change of therapy (i.e., dose or agent) due to presumed treatment failure or probable adverse drug reaction (by Leape and Bates criteria); and * length of stay in hospital (amongst survivors)
Time frame: Day 30
Proportion of patients that die (death)
Mortality at day 30
Time frame: Day 30
Proportion of patients with a need for new extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO),
New initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation during hospitalization following initiation of assigned PCP treatment strategy.
Time frame: Day 30
Proportion of patients requiring new Invasive Mechanical Ventilation
Initiation of invasive mechanical ventilation via endotracheal intubation during hospitalization following initiation of the assigned PCP treatment strategy.
Time frame: Day 30
Proportion of patients with severe (CTCAE grade 4) adverse drug event
Proportion of patients with occurence of severe (CTCAE grade 4) adverse drug event (dermatologic, nephrologic, hematologic, neurologic, and/or endocrinologic) considered at least probable (by Leape and Bates criteria).
Time frame: Day 30
Proportion of patients with need for new non-invasive ventilation;
initiation of non-invasive ventilation (including continuous positive airway pressure \[CPAP\] or bilevel positive airway pressure \[BiPAP\] during hospitalization following initiation of the assigned PCP treatment strategy.
Time frame: Day 30
Proportion of patients requiring escalation or change of PCP -directed therapy
Proportion of patients with escalation or change of PCP -directed therapy due to inadequate clinical response, disease progression, or treatment-limiting toxicity during the treatment or follow-up period.
Time frame: Day 30
Median length of stay in hospital amongst survivors
Length of hospital stay, measured in days from hospital admission to discharge among participants who survive to hospital discharge.
Time frame: Day 30
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