Glycine Supplement for Severe COVID-19

NCT ID: NCT04443673

Last Updated: 2022-08-04

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

TERMINATED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

59 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-06-15

Study Completion Date

2021-06-14

Brief Summary

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This study will explore whether a daily supplement of glycine, a substance that has antiinflammatory, cytoprotective, and endothelium-protecting effects, can improve mortality, as well as clinical and biochemical parameters, in patients with severe COVID-19 who initiate mechanical ventilatory support.

Detailed Description

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Patients with severe forms of COVID-19 often develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with high levels of proinflammatory cytokines and damage of lungs and other organs. A special feature in these patients is thrombotic events in the micro- and macro-vasculature. Owing to the lack of a specific and efficient treatment against COVID-19, lowering of this "cytokine storm" is a further proposed strategy.

Glycine is the major agonist of glycine receptors (GlyR), which are chloride channels that hyperpolarize cell membranes of inflammatory cells such as macrophages and neutrophils, turning them less sensitive to proinflammatory stimuli. In addition, glycine possesses a cytoprotective effect, improves endothelial function, and diminishes platelet aggregation.

In laboratory animals, in a rat model of endotoxic shock a 5% glycine-rich diet lowers mortality, reduces pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation and hepatic lesions, and avoids elevation of serum TNF-alpha. In animal models of ischemia-reperfusion injury, glycine protects the gut and lungs.

In in vitro studies, glycine diminishes the expression and release of TNF-alpha and IL-6 from adipose tissue, 3T3-L1 cells, and alveolar macrophages, probably through inhibition of phosphorylation of NF-kappaB. Finally, glycine diminishes platelet aggregation.

In human beings, glycine has been used for many years for the management of some ailments. In diabetic patients, oral glycine reduces glycosylated hemoglobin levels and serum TNF-alpha, and in patients with cystic fibrosis glycine improves the clinical and spirometric status, and tend to lower serum TNF-alpha, IL-6 and G-CSF.

Glycine is a white microcrystal powder soluble in water, with a sweet taste and relatively low cost.

This controlled, randomized, two-branches clinical trial will recruit participants of any sex, any age, with COVID-19 confirmed (or awaiting confirmation) by PCR, that are to initiate (or with \<48 h of) mechanical ventilation. After obtaining an informed consent, participants will be randomly assigned to two branches: 1) Experimental group, n=41 participants, that along with habitual management for their condition will receive 0.5 g/kg/day glycine divided in four doses every 6 h through nasogastric tube. 2) Control group, n=41 participants that will only receive habitual management. Pregnant women and subjects already participating in another study protocol will be excluded, and those with voluntary discharge or referenced to another institution will be discarded.

Blood samples for measurements of serum cytokines (Bio-Plex Human Cytokine 17-Plex, Bio-Rad) will be obtained at the beginning of the study and every 7 days thereafter.

The major outcome will be mortality. Secondary outcomes will be diminution of number of days under mechanical ventilation and evolution of PaO2/FiO2, proinflammatory and metabolic biomarkers, Sequence Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II).

Routine test such as arterial blood gases, blood chemistry, blood count, coagulation test, and ECG will also be analyzed by using the weighted average in certain time-periods (probably 7-days periods).

Group comparisons will be carried out by means of Fisher exact/chi-square tests and Student's t-/Mann-Whitney U-tests. Feasibility of multivariate analysis will be evaluated.

Conditions

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COVID-19 SARS-CoV Infection SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) SARS Pneumonia ARDS, Human Pneumonia, Viral

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Controlled, randomized, two branches, clinical trial.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Glycine

Along with habitual treatment for their severe condition, participants will receive 0.5 g/kg/day glycine by nasogastric tube, divided in four equal doses in a day, since their enrollment and until they are weaned from mechanical ventilator or die.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Glycine

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Along with habitual treatment for their severe condition, participants will receive 0.5 g/kg/day glycine by nasogastric tube, divided in four equal doses in a day, since their enrollment and until they are weaned from mechanical ventilator or die.

Control

Participants will receive the habitual treatment for their severe condition.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Glycine

Along with habitual treatment for their severe condition, participants will receive 0.5 g/kg/day glycine by nasogastric tube, divided in four equal doses in a day, since their enrollment and until they are weaned from mechanical ventilator or die.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Any age.
* Any sex.
* With COVID-19 confirmed (or awaiting confirmation) by PCR.
* With a clinical decision of initiation of mechanical ventilation or with \<48 h under mechanical ventilation.
* Informed consent signed by the participant's responsible.

Exclusion Criteria

* Pregnant women.
* Already participating in another research protocol.

Elimination Criteria:

* Voluntary hospital discharge or referenced to another institution.
Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Mario H. Vargas

Senior Researcher

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Mario H Vargas, MSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias

Locations

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Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias

Mexico City, , Mexico

Site Status

Countries

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Mexico

References

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Other Identifiers

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C40-20

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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