Evaluation of the Metabolome in Diverticular Disease

NCT ID: NCT01831323

Last Updated: 2014-10-17

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2012-12-31
• Study Completion Date: 2015-05-31

Brief Summary

To evaluate the effect of the probiotic formulation VSL#3 on the metabolome and microbiota of diverticular disease, comparing it with the effects exerted by supplementation with fibers, by rifaximin and by mesalazine, and assessing the evolution over time after each specific treatment

Detailed Description

The incidence of diverticular disease of the colon has increased over the last few years. Since it presents potentially severe complications (both in terms of morbidity and mortality), the most recent studies are focusing on the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic options.

Diverticular disease of the colon presents important etiopathogenetic events. The first is that the severity of microscopic inflammation is correlated to the disease activity. The second is the bacterial overgrowth which is observed in the colon, where the diverticula form "recesses" where bacteria can proliferate. The third is that the "metabolome" plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (and not only). An extensive combination of microbial species live permanently in the human gut and participate in the metabolic activities of the gastro-intestinal tract (such as the synthesis of certain vitamins, improvement of the immune system, and balance of the resident bacterial species). There is little published clinical evidence suggesting a direct link between microbiota and diverticular disease; however, an altered microbiota in the flora of patients with colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and IBD has been described.

It is clear that human metabolism and inflammatory response are influenced by genetic information outside our genome. Insights into the influence of microorganisms on the pathogenesis in gastrointestinal function and diverticular disease are in their infancy and often rely on extrapolation from other disease states. Microbiological analysis of fecal microbiota can provide important information on the role that the microbial-mammalian axis might have on the pathogenesis of diverticular disease.

Alteration of the metabolome play an important role in some pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, from Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Most likely, it plays the same role in diverticular disease. In fact, the current western diet is poor in fibers and can cause an alteration of the resident bacterial species, with a reduction of bifidobacteria and an increase of clostridia.

This alteration might be present in diverticular disease and the manipulation of the microbial flora might represent both a treatment option for diverticular disease and the prevention of its complications.

Recent studies showed that the treatment with probiotics can help reduce the activity index in patients with DDS and as well as reduce the recurrence of the disease.

A new method has now been validated to assess the microbiota: the analysis of the faecal and urinary metabolome by high resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The microbioma is the combination of the DNA of the microorganisms that compose the intestinal microflora (microbiota). Metabolomics allow to assess the metabolic activity of the microbiota and its possible interactions with the host.

The metabolomic analyses of stools and urine offer a new approach to evaluate the metabolome of diverticular disease, and compare it in patients who take a probiotic, fibers, non-absorbable antibiotics or an anti-inflammatory drug.

Conditions

Simple Diverticular Disease

Study Design

• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

mesalazine

10 female patients with first diagnosis of SUDD will take mesalazine 1,6g per day for 14 days (1 tablet 800mg twice daily)

Mesalazine

Intervention Type: DRUG

Mesalazine

VSL#3

10 female patients with first diagnosis of SUDD will take VSL#3 2 sachets a day for 14 days (1 sachet twice a day, for a total of 900 billion bacteria per day)

VSL#3

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

VSL#3

Rifaximin

10 female patients with first diagnosis of SUDD will take 800mg/day of rifaximin (2 tablets of 200mg twice a day)

Rifaximin

Intervention Type: DRUG

Rifaximin

fiber

10 female patients with first diagnosis of SUDD will take fibers for 14 days (psyllium 10grams per day)

Psyllium

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

psyllium

Interventions

VSL#3

VSL#3

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Rifaximin

Rifaximin

Intervention Type: DRUG

Mesalazine

Mesalazine

Intervention Type: DRUG

Psyllium

psyllium

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Other Intervention Names

Probiotic food supplement; Unabsorbable antibiotic; anti-inflammatory drug; Fibers

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Female patients over 18 years of age
• Patient with a diagnosis of uncomplicated symptomatic diverticular disease diagnosed for the first time
• Patient able to comply with the procedures of the Protocol
• Ability to sign written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Active or recent peptic ulceration
• Chronic renal failure
• Known allergy to products in the study
• Use of lactulose-lactitol in the two weeks prior to enrollment and during the study
• Previous surgery of the colon
• Diverticular disease-related complications (fistulas, abscesses, stenosis)
• Use of probiotics in the 4 weeks prior to enrolment
• Renal, hepatic, hematologic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, psychiatric, immunological, gastrointestinal or endocrine disease, if found to be clinically significant
• Active malignancy or history of any type of malignancy.
• Recent history or suspicion of abuse of alcohol or drugs
• Women who are pregnant, nursing or of childbearing age not using appropriate contraceptive methods
• Any severe pathology that may interfere with the treatment
• Inability to provide written informed consent
• Not sufficiently reliable or presence of conditions that can result in non-compliance / patient adherence to the Protocol
• Previous participation in another study
• Lack of compliance towards the products in the study

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

S.Eugenio Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Gian Marco Giorgetti

Dott. in Medicina Interna, Chirurgia oncologica, immunologia e allergologia

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Gianmarco Giorgetti

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sant'Eugenio Hospital

Locations

Sant'Eugenio Hospital

Rome, RM, Italy

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Italy

Central Contacts

Gianmarco Giorgetti, MD

Role: CONTACT

gianmarcogiorgetti@gmail.com

Facility Contacts

Gianmarco Giorgetti, MD

Role: primary

gianmarcogiorgetti@gmail.com

Other Identifiers

TUR-SUDD 2012

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id