Efficacy and Mechanisms of GLN Dipeptide in the SICU

NCT ID: NCT00248638

Last Updated: 2018-01-23

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE3
• Total Enrollment: 150 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2006-09-30
• Study Completion Date: 2012-12-31

Brief Summary

Relative glutamine (GLN) deficiency may contribute to morbidity and mortality in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients. During critical illness, GLN utilization by the immune system, gut mucosa and other tissues exceeds endogenous production and plasma GLN concentrations decrease, which may contribute to cellular dysfunction and increase nosocomial infection risk and mortality. Conventional GLN-free parenteral nutrition (PN) has a limited impact on SICU outcomes and does not repair the GLN deficit. Recent pilot data show that GLN dipeptide-supplemented PN decreases nosocomial infections and improves clinical outcomes in SICU patients. The process of benefit is poorly understood, but animal and human data suggest that GLN treatment correlates with a) up-regulation of cytoprotective molecules in blood and tissues [e.g, GSH, specific heat shock proteins (HSPs) and GLN]; and b) improved epithelial barrier defenses and immune cell number and function. Properties of L-GLN limit provision in solution, but the GLN dipeptide alanyl-GLN (AG) confers stability and solubility in PN (AG-PN). Investigators propose a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled phase III trial based on our pilot data to test the hypothesis that AG-PN improves clinical outcomes in SICU patients requiring PN after cardiac, vascular or colonic operations. Subjects will receive either standard GLN-free PN or isocaloric, isonitrogenous, AG-PN until enteral feeds are established. Specific Aim 1 is to determine whether AG-PN decreases hospital mortality, nosocomial infection and other important indices of morbidity. Specific Aim 2 is to obtain novel, mechanistically relevant observational data in the Aim 1 subjects on whether AG-PN a) increases serial blood levels of GSH, HSP-70 and -27, and GLN; b) decreases the presence in serum of the bacterial products flagellin and LPS and the adaptive immune response to these mediators; and c) improves key indices of innate/adaptive immunity. This study is designed to delineate the clinical benefit of a major new nutrition support strategy in high-risk SICU patients.

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Detailed Description

Overview: Relative deficiency of glutamine (GLN) appears to contribute to morbidity and mortality in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients, but conventional nutrition support does not repair this deficit. GLN requirements increase during critical illness when utilization by the immune system, gut mucosa and other tissues exceeds endogenous production. GLN depletion under these conditions may contribute to hospital morbidity and mortality. Conventional parenteral nutrition (PN) does not contain GLN and thus does not prevent GLN depletion in catabolic patients. However, a pilot study and other reports strongly suggest that GLN-supplemented PN improves metabolic and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. Underlying mechanisms for GLN action are poorly understood, but may involve systemic upregulation of the cytoprotective molecules glutathione (GSH), specific heat shock proteins (HSP) and GLN itself, improved gut barrier defenses, and improved innate and/or adaptive immune function. Properties of L-GLN limit provision in PN, but the dipeptide alanyl-glutamine (AG) confers stability and solubility in PN solutions. The pilot study demonstrated a marked decrease in nosocomial infection, improved indices of organ function, and a possible decrease in hospital mortality in SICU patients receiving AG-supplemented PN (AG-PN) versus standard, GLN-free PN (STD-PN). Investigators propose a multi-center, double-blind, controlled, Phase III trial, based on a pilot study, that will determine the effect of parenteral GLN on important clinical outcomes in patients requiring SICU care and PN after cardiac, vascular or colonic surgery. Investigators also propose to obtain needed hypothesis-generating, descriptive data from the Aim 1 study subjects to inform subsequent, truly mechanistic studies of GLN action in animal and human models of surgical critical illness. Study subjects will be randomized on an intent-to-treat basis to receive AG-PN or isonitrogenous, isocaloric STD-PN until enteral feeding is established.

Hypotheses:

1. SICU patients receiving PN supplemented with GLN dipeptide (AG-PN) will demonstrate improved clinical outcomes compared to patients receiving STD-PN.

2. Administration of AG-PN in the Aim 1 study subjects: a) increases serial blood levels of specific cytoprotective molecules and improves systemic redox status; b) is associated with decreased serum positivity for the bacterial products flagellin and lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) and the adaptive immune response to these mediators; and c) improves key indices of innate/adaptive immunity.

Specific Aims:

Aim 1: To perform a Phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether AG-PN decreases hospital mortality, nosocomial infections, and other indices of hospital morbidity versus STD-PN in SICU patients. The study will test whether AG-PN: decreases hospital mortality and the incidence of nosocomial infection (primary endpoints) in SICU patients after cardiac, vascular or colonic surgery. We will also determine whether AG-PN decreases total hospital infections, bloodstream infections (BSI), infections due to Staphylococcus aureus or fungal species, the number of days patients require mechanical ventilation, the SICU and total hospital length of stay and the 6-month mortality rate (secondary endpoints).

Aim 2: To determine in the Aim 1 study subjects whether AG-PN: a) increases systemic blood concentrations of the cytoprotective molecules GSH, HSP-70, HSP-27 and GLN and improves systemic GSH and cysteine redox status; b) is associated with decreased serum positivity for the bacterial products flagellin and LPS and titers of anti-flagellin and anti-LPS immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG); and c) improves key indices of innate/adaptive immune cell function.

Conditions

Critical Illness

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

Glutamine dipeptide

Glutamine dipeptide supplemented nutrition to be given to participants.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Glutamine dipeptide with 15% Clinisol

Intervention Type: DRUG

Subjects randomized to AG-PN will receive PN containing 0.5 g/kg/day of L alanyl L GLN (AG) dipeptide (Dipeptiven 20%; Fresenius-Kabi) and 1.0 g/kg/day of 15% Clinisol (Baxter Inc., Deerfield, IL) AA solution (total = 1.5 g/kg/day, with AG replacing 1/3 of Clinisol AA). The amount of GLN dipeptide administered each day will be determined by daily PN volume intake data.

standard

Participants given standard nutrition without glutamine dipeptide

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

15% Clinisol

Intervention Type: DRUG

Subjects randomized to STD-PN will receive 1.5 g/kg/day of 15% Clinisol. The amount of Clinisol administered each day will be determined by daily PN volume intake data.

Interventions

Glutamine dipeptide with 15% Clinisol

Subjects randomized to AG-PN will receive PN containing 0.5 g/kg/day of L alanyl L GLN (AG) dipeptide (Dipeptiven 20%; Fresenius-Kabi) and 1.0 g/kg/day of 15% Clinisol (Baxter Inc., Deerfield, IL) AA solution (total = 1.5 g/kg/day, with AG replacing 1/3 of Clinisol AA). The amount of GLN dipeptide administered each day will be determined by daily PN volume intake data.

Intervention Type: DRUG

15% Clinisol

Subjects randomized to STD-PN will receive 1.5 g/kg/day of 15% Clinisol. The amount of Clinisol administered each day will be determined by daily PN volume intake data.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Other Intervention Names

Alanyl-glutamine Dipeptide; Dipeptiven

Eligibility Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

*Encephalopathy for GLND can be diagnosed only in non-chemically sedated patients by the primary critical care physicians or neurologist consultants and is defined as either a comatose state OR severe abnormalities diagnosed by electroencephalogram (EEG), OR if all of the following criteria are met: a) patient goes to sleep but is arousable to verbal and painful stimuli; does not open eyes spontaneously (decreased level of consciousness); b) patient exhibits severe confusion or complete disorientation when aroused (disorientation); c) patient exhibits severe lethargy or bizarre behavior (behavioral dysfunction); and d) patient exhibits inability to cooperate, asterixis, ataxia, clonus, decortication, decerebration, seizures, or rigidity (severe neuromuscular dysfunction).

† Patients with malignant metastasis and terminal untreatable carcinoma will be excluded as per the operational definition agreed upon by the Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB).

≠ Please note that the patient should be in the SICU at the initial PN hang time.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 90 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Emory University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Thomas R. Ziegler, MD

Professor of Medicine

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Thomas R Ziegler, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Emory University

Locations

University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

Denver, Colorado, United States

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

The Miriam Hospital/Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

University Of Wisconsin Hospital

Madison, Wisconsin, United States

Countries

United States

References

Ziegler TR, May AK, Hebbar G, Easley KA, Griffith DP, Dave N, Collier BR, Cotsonis GA, Hao L, Leong T, Manatunga AK, Rosenberg ES, Jones DP, Martin GS, Jensen GL, Sax HC, Kudsk KA, Galloway JR, Blumberg HM, Evans ME, Wischmeyer PE. Efficacy and Safety of Glutamine-supplemented Parenteral Nutrition in Surgical ICU Patients: An American Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Surg. 2016 Apr;263(4):646-55. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001487.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 26501700 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

U01DK069322

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

DK69322

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

IRB00024944

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

NCT01776476

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: nct_alias