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MAD Trial: Myopia Atropine Dose

Investigator Led, Double-masked, Multicenter, Randomized Clinical Trial for the Comparison of Atropine 0.5% Versus Atropine 0.05% Eye Drops for the Prevention of Myopia Progression in Dutch Children

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05667454
Acronym
MAD
Enrollment
550
Registered
2022-12-28
Start date
2022-12-19
Completion date
2029-04-24
Last updated
2026-09-14

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Progressive Myopia

Keywords

Myopia, Atropine, Axial length, Child

Brief summary

The goal of this interventional study is to compare the efficacy of Atropine 0.05% to Atropine 0.5% treatment against progression of axial length in European children with progressive myopia, and to evaluate the safety, adherence, and reasons for nonresponse. Subjects will use Atropine eye drops for a period of 3 years, followed by a 2 year observational period.

Detailed description

With the current worldwide myopia boom the frequency of high myopia will also increase, and potentially blinding complications such as myopic macular degeneration, retinal detachment, and glaucoma will occur more often. In the Netherlands high myopia will become the most important cause of low vision and blindness by 2050. As treatment options are limited once the eye is fully grown, prevention of a long axial length at childhood is the only way to counteract this prospect. Pharmacological interventions have shown a high efficacy in stopping eye growth, in particular eye drops with high dose Atropine (0.5%, 1%). Nevertheless, the high frequency of side effects (photophobia, reading problems) of these Atropine concentrations has favoured the use of low dose Atropine. Atropine 0.01% is the most commonly used and lowest dosage; it has shown stability of refractive error, but not of axial length. Recent studies have shown that Atropine 0.05% has low risk of side effects, but a higher efficacy than 0.01%. Many ongoing trials are now comparing various low dose Atropine to placebo, but none are comparing the highest low dose to the lowest high dose Atropine.

Interventions

DRUGAtropine Ophthalmic 0.05%

Atropine 0.05% sulphate ophthalmic solution

DRUGAtropine Ophthalmic 0.5%

Atropine 0.5% sulphate ophthalmic solution

Sponsors

Erasmus Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER
ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
6 Years to 11 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Children aged 6 to ≤ 11 years with bilateral myopia * Onset of myopia ≥ 4 years of age * History of progression * SER of at least -1.00D and no greater than -6.00D in each eye measured using cycloplegic auto refraction * Intraocular pressure \< 21 mm Hg in each eye * Distance vision correctable to at least 0.1 Log MAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) in each eye

Exclusion criteria

* Allergy to atropine or other excipients of the eye drops * History of amblyopia or strabismus * History of retinal dystrophy or systemic disorder * Abnormal ocular biometry aside from axial length * History of glaucoma * Chronic use of topical or systemic antimuscarinic/anticholinergic medications in the 21 days prior to screening, and/or anticipated need for chronic use over the duration of the study (i.e., more than 7 consecutive days in 1 month or more than a total of 30 days in 1 year). * Chronic use (more than 3 days a week) of topical ophthalmological medication (prescribed or over the counter) other than the assigned study medication. The use of artificial tears is allowed but not in the 1 hour before or after the administration of the study medication. * The anticipated need to use chronic ophthalmic or systemic oral corticosteroids during the study. (i.e., \< 2 weeks) * Prior myopia treatments. * Employees of the study center and their family members.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Progression of axial length in mm from baseline to t = 36 months.3 years

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Progression of axial length in mm from baseline to t = 60 months.5 years
Progression of spherical equivalent of refraction in dioptres from baseline to t = 36 months. compared to atropine 0.5% treatment.3 years
Progression of spherical equivalent of refraction in dioptres from baseline to t = 605 years
Proportion of subjects who show ≤ 0.20 mm (good response); 0.2 - 0.3 mm (acceptable response), and > 3 mm (nonresponse)3 years
Proportion of subjects who progressed to high myopia (AL 26+ mm)3 years
Change in visual function (BCVA, contrast sensitivity, and glare)3 years
Frequency and type of treatment-related (serious) adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v5.0 (=safety)3 years
Proportion of non-adherence3 years
Difference in health related quality of life5 years

Countries

Netherlands

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORC.C.W. Klaver, Prof. Dr.

EMC

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Sep 15, 2026