1. |
- Dennis, Martin, et al.
(author)
-
Fluoxetine to improve functional outcomes in patients after acute stroke : the FOCUS RCT
- 2020
-
In: Health technology assessment (Winchester, England). - : National Institute for Health Research. - 2046-4924 .- 1366-5278. ; 24:22, s. 1-
-
Reports (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundOur Cochrane review of selective serotonin inhibitors for stroke recovery indicated that fluoxetine may improve functional recovery, but the trials were small and most were at high risk of bias.ObjectivesThe Fluoxetine Or Control Under Supervision (FOCUS) trial tested the hypothesis that fluoxetine improves recovery after stroke.DesignThe FOCUS trial was a pragmatic, multicentre, parallel-group, individually randomised, placebo-controlled trial.SettingThis trial took place in 103 UK hospitals.ParticipantsPatients were eligible if they were aged ≥ 18 years, had a clinical stroke diagnosis, with focal neurological deficits, between 2 and 15 days after onset.InterventionsPatients were randomly allocated 20 mg of fluoxetine once per day or the matching placebo for 6 months via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale at 6 months. Patients, carers, health-care staff and the trial team were masked to treatment allocation. Outcome was assessed at 6 and 12 months after randomisation. Patients were analysed by their treatment allocation as specified in a published statistical analysis plan.ResultsBetween 10 September 2012 and 31 March 2017, we recruited 3127 patients, 1564 of whom were allocated fluoxetine and 1563 of whom were allocated placebo. The modified Rankin Scale score at 6 months was available for 1553 out of 1564 (99.3%) of those allocated fluoxetine and 1553 out of 1563 (99.4%) of those allocated placebo. The distribution across modified Rankin Scale categories at 6 months was similar in the two groups (common odds ratio adjusted for minimisation variables 0.951, 95% confidence interval 0.839 to 1.079; p = 0.439). Compared with placebo, patients who were allocated fluoxetine were less likely to develop a new episode of depression by 6 months [210 (13.0%) vs. 269 (16.9%), difference –3.78%, 95% confidence interval –1.26% to –6.30%; p = 0.003], but had more bone fractures [45 (2.9%) vs. 23 (1.5%), difference 1.41%, 95% confidence interval 0.38% to 2.43%; p = 0.007]. There were no statistically significant differences in any other recorded events at 6 or 12 months. Health economic analyses showed no differences between groups in health-related quality of life, hospital bed usage or health-care costs.LimitationsSome non-adherence to trial medication, lack of face-to-face assessment of neurological status at follow-up and lack of formal psychiatric diagnosis during follow-up.Conclusions20 mg of fluoxetine daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve patients’ functional outcome but decreased the occurrence of depression and increased the risk of fractures. These data inform decisions about using fluoxetine after stroke to improve functional outcome or to prevent or treat mood disorders. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) (Australasia/Vietnam) and Efficacy oF Fluoxetine – a randomisEd Controlled Trial in Stroke (EFFECTS) (Sweden) trials recruited an additional 2780 patients and will report their results in 2020. These three trials have an almost identical protocol, which was collaboratively developed. Our planned individual patient data meta-analysis will provide more precise estimates of the effects of fluoxetine after stroke and indicate whether or not effects vary depending on patients’ characteristics and health-care setting.
|
|
2. |
- Mead, Gillian Elizabeth, et al.
(author)
-
Update to the FOCUS, AFFINITY and EFFECTS trials studying the effect(s) of fluoxetine in patients with a recent stroke : statistical analysis plan for the trials and for the individual patient data meta-analysis
- 2020
-
In: Trials. - : Springer Nature. - 1745-6215. ; 21:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundThree large trials of fluoxetine for stroke recovery (FOCUS (fluoxetine or control under supervision), AFFINITY (the Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recovery) and EFFECTS (Efficacy oF Fluoxetine-a randomisEd Controlled Trial in Stroke)) have been collaboratively designed with the same basic protocol to facilitate an individual patient data analysis (IPDM). The statistical analysis plan for the three individual trials has already been reported in Trials, including a brief description of the IPDM. In this protocol, we describe in detail how we will perform the IPDM.Methods/designData from EFFECTS and AFFINITY will be transferred securely to the FOCUS statistician, who will perform a one-stage IPDM and a two-stage IPDM. For the one-stage IPDM, data will be combined into a single data set and the same analyses performed as described for the individual trials. For the two-stage IPDM, the results for the three individual trials will be combined using fixed effects meta-analyses.The primary and secondary outcome domains for the IPDM are the same as for individual trials. We will also perform analyses according to several subgroups including country of recruitment, ethnicity and trial. We will also explore the effects of fluoxetine on our primary and secondary outcomes in subgroups defined by combinations of characteristics.We also describe additional research questions that will be addressed using the combined data set, and published subsequently, including predictors of important post-stroke problems such as seizures, low mood and bone fractures.DiscussionAn IPDM of our three large trials of fluoxetine for stroke recovery will allow us to provide the most precise estimates of any risks and benefits of fluoxetine vs placebo, to detect reliably a smaller overall effect size than those detectable by the individual trials, to better determine the effects of fluoxetine vs placebo in subgroups of patients and outcomes and to broaden the generalisability of the results. Also, we may identify differences in treatment effects between studies.Trial registrationFOCUS: ISRCTN ISRCTN83290762. Registered on 23 May 2012. EudraCT 2011-005616-29. Registered on 3 February 2012.AFFINITY: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12611000774921. Registered on 22 July 2011.EFFECTS: ISRCTN ISRCTN13020412. Registered on 19 December 2014. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02683213. Registered on 2 February 2016. EudraCT 2011-006130-16. Registered on 8 August 2014.
|
|