Subcutaneous injections of benzathine penicillin G (SCIP) for rheumatic heart disease in Kununurra
The Kids Research Institute Australia
20 participants
Jul 17, 2025
Interventional
Conditions
Summary
People living with rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease are often recommended to have antibiotic injections at least every 28-days over five years to reduce their risk of permanent heart damage. Our team has developed a new, less painful, way to deliver the antibiotic, called ‘SCIP’, which provides 10-weeks of protection. By partnering with the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service, we will offer SCIP to people in need of regular BPG in Kununurra, Western Australia, and evaluate how well it works for them, with the ultimate goal of using SCIP to reduce rheumatic heart disease morbidity. We hypothesize that SCIP will provide an acceptable alternative way for people to get their regular BPG.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria1
- Provide informed consent to participate (or informed assent to receive SCIP with a caregiver's informed consent if aged <15 years)
Exclusion Criteria8
- Excluded from receiving SCIP are those who have:
- Never had IM BPG through OVAHS to prevent acute rheumatic fever recurrence.
- Anticipated to be unavailable for one or more of the recommended SCIP administrations during the follow-up period
- Unwilling to undergo height, weight, and vital sign assessments prior to receiving SCIP
- History of adverse drug reaction/hypersensitivity/allergy to penicillin.
- Pregnancy (self-reported)
- Extensive scarring or dermatological conditions affecting skin integrity at the intended site of SCIP administration
- Are unable to contact clinic staff following SCIP administration if they have safety concerns.
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Interventions
Subcutaneous injections of benzathine penicillin G (termed 'SCIP') will be offered as an alternative to the current standard of care for secondary prophylaxis, which involves regular deep intramuscular injections of benzathine penicillin G (BPG). SCIP will be offered to participants at 10-week intervals. SCIP will be administered by healthcare workers at Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service (OVAHS). The study period is 48-weeks. Each participant will have a minimum follow-up period of 12-weeks. Consequently participants will be offered a maximum of 5 SCIP doses and a minimum of 2 doses, depending on what point they were recruited at. The drug administered is BPG: Bicillin® L-A (Pfizer). Each vial contains 1.2MU BPG. The dose depends on the participant body weight. Participants <20kgs will receive 4 vials of Bicillin® L-A (9.2mL), those 20-<30kg receive 5 vials (11.5mL), those 30-<60kg receive 7 vials (13.8mL), and those weighing 60+ kg receive 9 vials (20.7mL). BPG uptake via IM/SCIP will be monitored through reviewing participants' clinic records.
Locations(1)
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ACTRN12625000031460