1. The FLuorometholone as Adjunctive MEdical Therapy for Trachomatous Trichiasis Surgery (FLAME) Trial: Study Design.
- Author
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Mohammed AA, Abashawl A, Dodson S, Alemayehu W, Gemechu A, Abateneh A, Kumsa D, Succar T, Chen Y, McWilliams K, Bunya VY, Maguire MG, Burton MJ, Ying GS, and Kempen JH
- Subjects
- Humans, Double-Blind Method, Male, Female, Ophthalmic Solutions administration & dosage, Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures methods, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Adult, Postoperative Complications prevention & control, Ethiopia, Middle Aged, Eyelashes drug effects, Chemotherapy, Adjuvant methods, Trichiasis surgery, Trachoma drug therapy, Trachoma surgery, Fluorometholone administration & dosage
- Abstract
Purpose: To report the design of FLuorometholone as Adjunctive MEdical therapy for TT surgery (FLAME) trial., Design: Parallel design, double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 1:1 randomization to fluorometholone 0.1% eye drops twice daily or placebo twice daily for 4 weeks in eyes undergoing trachomatous trichiasis (TT) surgery for assessing the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of fluorometholone 0.1% in preventing recurrent postoperative trichiasis (PTT)., Methods: Up to 2500 eligible persons with trachomatous trichiasis undergoing lid rotation surgery were enrolled in the Jimma zone, Ethiopia. Participants, surgeons, study field staff, and study supervisors leading operational aspects of the trial are masked to treatment assignment. Randomization is stratified by the surgeon and is simultaneously stratified by the district. Study visits (in addition to programmatic follow-ups) are at the baseline/enrollment, at four-week post-enrollment, and after 6 months and 1 year. The primary outcome is cumulative one-year PTT incidence, defined as: ≥1 lashes touching the globe, evidence of epilation, and/or repeat TT surgery. Secondary postoperative outcomes include the number of trichiatic lashes, location (touching the cornea or not), evidence of post-operative epilation, entropion, changes in corneal opacity, IOP elevation, need for cataract surgery, visual acuity change from the baseline, eyelid contour abnormality, granuloma, eyelid closure defect, and the occurrence of adverse events. Health economic analyses center on calculating the incremental cost per case of PTT avoided by fluorometholone treatment., Conclusion: The FLAME Trial is designed to provide evidence of the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of adjunctive topical peri-/postoperative fluorometholone 0.1% therapy with trichiasis surgery, which is hypothesized to reduce the risk of recurrent trichiasis while being acceptably safe., Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04149210.
- Published
- 2024
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