Comparisons of Treatment Responses of Early Syphilis to Benzathine Penicillin G With or Without Doxycycline

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorNational Taiwan University Hospital

About this trial

This randomized controlled superiority study will be conducted during 2023-2025. The eligible participants are adult people living with HIV (PLWH) who are newly diagnosed with early syphilis. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive single-dose benzathine penicillin G (BPG) (2.4 MU intramuscularly once) plus doxycycline (100 mg orally twice daily for 7 days) or single-dose BPG. The primary outcome is serologic response, defined as a decline of rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titer by 4-fold or greater, at week 24 and week 48; and the secondary outcomes include microbiologic response of syphilis and bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) assessed by nucleic-acid amplification test (NAAT) at week 4.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

People living with HIV (PLWH) aged ≥18 years with early syphilis

Confirmed by a positive RPR titer with a reactive TPPA assay

Disqualifiers

PWH with RPR titers of <4

Subject has latent syphilis of unknown duration, late latent syphilis, or evidence of neurosyphilis, including ocular involvement.

Exposure to antibiotics with activity against T. pallidum within the preceding 4 weeks (penicillin, 3rd cephalosporin, doxycycline, macrolides)

A known or suspected infection requiring additional treatment with an antimicrobial active against T. pallidum at baseline (penicillin, 3rd cephalosporin, doxycycline, macrolides)

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Benzathine Penicillin G
  • Doxycycline Capsule

Treatment groups

688 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups

Sponsors and collaborators

National Taiwan University Hospital

Lead sponsor

National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch

Collaborator

Far Eastern Memorial Hospital

Collaborator

Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan

Collaborator

Taoyuan General Hospital

Collaborator

National Cheng-Kung University Hospital

Collaborator

Chi Mei Medical Hospital

Collaborator

Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital

Collaborator

Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital.

Collaborator