Adjunctive Treatment With Vitamin D3 in Patients With Active IBD

NCT ID: NCT04225819

Last Updated: 2025-05-09

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: SUSPENDED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 100 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2020-10-01
• Study Completion Date: 2027-04-01

Brief Summary

Inflammatory bowel disease ((IBD), which includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC)), is a chronic, immune-mediated disease characterized by recurrent episodes of relapse. The incidence of IBD is increasing worldwide and poses as a burden that reduces quality of life and has a significant impact on health care resources.

The advent of monoclonal antibodies to tumor necrosis factor-α (anti-TNF) has revolutionized treatment of IBD, improving rates of remission and reducing hospitalizations and surgeries. Nevertheless, many patients do not adequately respond to these therapies or lose response over time. Thus, there is an important need for novel immunomodulating agents to improve our ability to achieve remission.

Besides its traditional role in bone homeostasis, several studies have recognized the important role Vitamin D plays in modulating the immune response, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, Vitamin D may mediate immunity by modulating autophagy in leukocytes and regulating the gut microbiome. Thus, Vitamin D may play an important role in IBD. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the effect of vitamin D may be mediated through the TNF-α pathway, suggesting a synergy with anti-TNF therapy.

This is a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial to study the effect of Vitamin D3 as an adjunct therapy for patients with active CD, UC, or IBD unspecified who are undergoing anti-TNF induction therapy.

Conditions

IBD; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Crohn Disease; Ulcerative Colitis; Vitamin D3 Deficiency

Study Design

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

Study Groups

Vitamin D3 supplement

Two- 5,000 IU capsules, taken daily with a meal

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Vitamin D3

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Softgel capsules containing 5,000 IU cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3), sunflower oil, beef gelatin, glycerin, water

Placebo

Two placebo capsules, taken daily with a meal

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type: OTHER

Sfotgel capsules containing sunflower oil, beef gelatin, glycerin, water

Interventions

Vitamin D3

Softgel capsules containing 5,000 IU cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3), sunflower oil, beef gelatin, glycerin, water

Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Placebo

Sfotgel capsules containing sunflower oil, beef gelatin, glycerin, water

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

cholecalciferol

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Established diagnosis of CD, UC, or IBD-unspecified
• Initiating anti-TNF therapy for IBD within 2 weeks of baseline/randomization
• Other non-anti-TNF IBD medications must remain stable during the treatment period with the exception of tapering of corticosteroids.
• Recent (within 6 months) objective evidence of active IBD on colonoscopy along with elevated inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein >8 mg/L or fecal calprotectin >150 mcg/g)
• Current disease activity defined as a Harvey Bradshaw index > 4 at baseline (week 0) for CD subjects or Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index > 2 at baseline (week 0) for UC subjects.
• Fecal Calprotectin level >150 mcg/g

Exclusion Criteria

• Inability to provide informed consent or unwilling or unlikely to comply with the requirements of the study.
• Female subjects who are pregnant, lactating, or intending to become pregnant during the study period
• Known intolerance or hypersensitivity to oral vitamin D3 supplementation
• Plasma 25(OH)D > 60 ng/mL
• Known celiac disease or subjects with a positive screen for celiac disease (elevated tissue transglutaminase antibodies)
• Serum calcium >11 mg/dL
• History of hyperparathyroidism
• History of renal calculi or chronic kidney disease
• Initiation of anti-TNF treatment for extra-intestinal symptoms alone
• Evidence of untreated infection (e.g. Clostridium difficile)
• History of chronic pancreatitis
• History of cystic fibrosis
• History of gastric bypass
• Presence of stoma or J-pouch

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

Sponsors

Massachusetts General Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Ashwin Ananthakrishnan

Professor of Medicine

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Ashwin Ananthakrishnan, MD, MPH

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Massachusetts General Hospital

Locations

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

2019P003843

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id