Levofloxacin versus placebo for the treatment of latent tuberculosis among contacts of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (the VQUIN MDR trial): A protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Greg J. Fox, Cam Binh Nguyen, Thu Anh Nguyen, Phuong Thuy Tran, Ben J. Marais, Steve M. Graham, Binh Hoa Nguyen, Kavi Velen, David W. Dowdy, Paul Mason, Warwick J. Britton, Marcel A. Behr, Andrea Benedetti, Dick Menzies, Viet Nhung Nguyen, Guy B. Marks

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Introduction Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) plays a substantial role in the prevention of drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB). However, clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of preventive therapy for presumed multidrug-resistant (MDR) LTBI are lacking. This trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of the antibiotic levofloxacin in preventing the development of active TB among latently infected contacts of index patients with MDR-TB. Methods and analysis A double-blind placebo-controlled parallel group randomised controlled trial will be conducted in 10 provinces of Vietnam. Household contacts living with patients with bacteriologically confirmed rifampicin-resistant or MDR-TB will be eligible for recruitment if they have a positive tuberculin skin test or are known to be immunosuppressed, and do not have active TB. Participants will be randomised to receive either levofloxacin or placebo tablets once per day for 6 months. Screening for incident TB will be performed at 6 months intervals. The primary study outcome is the incidence of bacteriologically confirmed TB within 30 months after randomisation. Analysis will be by intention to treat, using Poisson regression. Ethics Ethical approval from the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee was obtained on 29 April 2015 (2014/929), and from the Vietnam Ministry of Health Institutional Review Board on 30 September 2015 (4040/QD-BYT). Dissemination Findings of the study will be published in peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Trial registration number ACTRN12616000215426.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere033945
JournalBMJ open
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • latent tuberculosis tuberculosis
  • multidrug-resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis fluoroquinolones
  • therapeutic use humans clinical trial protocol
  • therapeutic use levofloxacin

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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