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Effect of HCQ Combined With LT4 on LBR in Euthyroid Women With URPL and TPO-Ab

The Efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine Combined With Levothyroxine in Euthyroid Women With Thyroid Antibody Positive and Unexplained Recurrent Pregnancy Loss:A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Study

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06652113
Acronym
QT-LIFE
Enrollment
796
Registered
2024-10-22
Start date
2024-11-15
Completion date
2037-03-31
Last updated
2025-09-23

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

Conditions

Euthyroid With Thyroid Antibodies, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Keywords

live birth, euthyroid, thyroid peroxidase antibody, recurrent pregnancy loss

Brief summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if combined treatment of levothyroxine and hydroxychloroquine would improve the live birth of euthyroid women with thyroid peroxidase antibodies and unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss. Researchers will compare combined treatment of levothyroxine and hydroxychloroquine to a treatment of levothyroxine alone to see if combined treatment works to improve live birth of euthyroid participants with thyroid peroxidase antibodies and unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss. Participants will: * Receive combined treatment of levothyroxine and hydroxychloroquine or treatment of levothyroxine alone every day at least 8 weeks before pregnancy, and continue their treatment till the end of pregnancy. * Visit the clinic 4 weeks and 8 weeks after their treatments, and every 12 weeks before they get pregnant for checkups and tests. During their pregnancy, they will visit the clinic before gestation of 12 weeks, and will be followed up with phone call in the second trimester and after parturition.

Detailed description

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab) in euthyroid women are associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. According to 2017 Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association, administration of levothyroxine (LT4) to TPO-Ab-positive euthyroid pregnant women with a prior history of loss may be considered given its potential benefits in comparison with its minimal risk. However, it is a weak recommendation with low-quality evidence. Recently published randomised clinical trials showed that administration of LT4 does not improve pregnancy outcomes of euthyroid thyroid peroxidase antibody positive women with recurrent pregnancy loss. Published data showed TPO-Ab is related to immune imbalance. Hydroxychloroquine is a widely used immune modulator even in fields of autoimmune disorders during pregnancy and lactation. Nevertheless, the effect of hydroxychloroquine combined with LT4 on live birth rate of euthyroid women with TPO-Ab and unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss is unclear. Therefore, we designed a multicenter RCT to verify the study hypothesis that combined treatment of levothyroxine and hydroxychloroquine would improve the live birth rate of euthyroid women with thyroid peroxidase antibodies and unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss.

Interventions

DRUGhydroxychloroquine and levothyroxine

Hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets (Fenle, 0.1g) will be given at a total daily dose of 0.2g to 0.4g based on individual weight as described above. During the study, if TSH is higher than 4.0 mIU/L or exceeds the lower limit of the reference range of the center in the first trimester, or TSH level exceeds the normal range of the center during the second or the third trimester, subjects will be instructed to suspend the medication and visit the Department of Endocrinology.

DRUGLevothyroxine

Levothyroxine sodium tablets (Euthyrox, 50 μg) will be given 12.5μg \ 50 μg daily based on patients' TSH levels and weights as described above. During the study, if TSH is higher than 4.0 mIU/L or exceeds the lower limit of the reference range of the center in the first trimester, or TSH level exceeds the normal range of the center during the second or the third trimester, subjects will be instructed to suspend the medication and visit the Department of Endocrinology.

Sponsors

Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

open-labeled multicenter randomized clinical trial

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
20 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Women with history of two or more pregnancy loss with the same male partner (including biochemical pregnancies). 2. Karyotype analyses show no pathological abnormalities in each individual of the recruited couple. 3. Women aged between 20 and 40 years old (including 20 and 40). 4. Lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin antibody (ACA), and anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies (anti-β2-GP1 Ab) tests are all negative. 5. It is confirmed by ultrasound or hysteroscopy that there are no pathological lesions that affect the morphology of the uterine cavity (such as submucosal uterine fibroids, uterine malformations). 6. TPO-Ab positive (TPO-Ab \> 60 IU/mL using the Siemens kit of electrochemiluminescence method, or TPO-Ab \> 34 IU/mL using the Roche kit of chemiluminescence method). 7. Biochemically euthyroid. TSH, free triiodothyronine (FT3), and free thyroxine (T4) are all within the reference range of corresponding laboratory testing in each research center.

Exclusion criteria

1. Rheumatic diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, undifferentiated connective tissue disease, etc. 2. Metabolic or endocrine diseases, such as diabetes. 3. Abnormal renal function: plasma creatinine level ≥130 μmol/L or abnormal liver function: alanine aminotransferase ≥80U/L or aspartate aminotransferase ≥80U/L. 4. Hypertension and malignant tumors. 5. Under treatment with glucocorticoids or immunosuppressor, including cyclosporine, azathioprine, prednisone, and methylprednisolone. 6. Body Mass Index (BMI) \>28kg/m2. 7. Past history of hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and thyroid malignant tumors; 8. Allergy to 4-aminoquinoline compound, or those with retinal or visual field lesions caused by 4-aminoquinoline compound.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Birth of a living child beyond 28 weeksAfter birth, within 24 months after randomizationThe primary outcome is the proportion of women with a live birth at or beyond 28 completed weeks. This proportion will be calculated with the denominator totalling all women randomised, and the numerator (i.e., treatment successes) totalling women who conceive within 60 weeks of randomisation and go on to give live birth at or beyond 28 weeks gestation.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Miscarriage <28 weeksAt 28 weeks of pregnancyMiscarriage that occurs less than 28 weeks of gestation
Gestation at miscarriage, weeksAfter the time of miscarriage, within 24 months after eligibilityGestation at miscarriage, weeks
On-going pregnancy at 12 weeksAt 12 weeks of pregnancyOn-going pregnancy at 12 weeks
Gestation at delivery >34 weeks/>37 weeksAfter birth, within 24 months after eligibilityNumber of women who have a delivery at least 34 weeks of gestation. Number of women who have a delivery at least 37 weeks of gestation.
Gestation at delivery, weeksAfter birth, within 24 months after eligibilityGestation at delivery, weeks
Clinical pregnancy at 5 to 8 weeksAt 5-8 weeks of pregnancyIt is the proportion of women with a cardiac activity confirmed by ultrasound during 5 to 8 weeks of gestation. This proportion will be calculated with the denominator totalling all women randomised, and the numerator totalling women who have clinical pregnancy within 60 weeks of randomisation.
APGAR score at 1 minute/5 minutesAfter birth, within 24 months after eligibilityAPGAR score at 1 minute/5 minutes of the neonates.
birth defectsAt or short after birth, within 24 months after eligibilityBirth defects of the neonates.
Maternal antenatal complications,intrapartum complications,maternal postnatal complicationsup to birth/immediately after deliveryHypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, placenta previa, placental abruption, polyhydramnios, oligohydramnios, fetal growth restriction, postpartum hemorrhage and so on.
Time to pregnancy.At 5-8 weeks of pregnancyIt refers to the time interval from patients trying to prepare for pregnancy (after 8 weeks of medication) to successful pregnancy (intrauterine pregnancy confirmed by ultrasound).
live birth rate after at least 28 weeks of gestation among pregnant patientsAfter birth, within 24 months after randomizationIt is the proportion of women with a live birth at or beyond 28 of completed weeks. This proportion will be calculated with the denominator totalling all women who have clinical pregnancy within 60 weeks of randomisation, and the numerator totalling women who have a live birth at or beyond 28 of completed weeks.
Birth weight, gramsAt birth, within 24 months after eligibilityBirth weight, grams

Countries

China

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026