Study of the Sex Differences in Inflammatory Diseases in Children

NCT ID: NCT04815811

Last Updated: 2021-03-25

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

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

160 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-08-17

Study Completion Date

2023-12-31

Brief Summary

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Sexual differences in innate immune response have been demonstrated and were mainly attributed to the influence of the sex steroids (1-18). However, recent clinical data revealed significant differences in inflammatory markers between boys and girls suffering from acute and chronic inflammatory diseases (19-23). Sex hormone levels in prepubertal children are particularly low and insufficient to explain the gender differences observed in inflammatory conditions from neonates to the elderly, suggesting the contribution of another mechanism, such as the influence of genes situated on the sex chromosomes and involved in the inflammatory response.

The aim of this work is to evaluate the role of the X chromosome in the sex differences in inflammatory diseases in children. In order to discriminate more precisely the role of the X chromosome relatively to the sex steroids in the sex-specific inflammatory response, some innate immune functions related to X-linked genes will be evaluated in whole blood from prepubertal children of both sexes, suffering from acute inflammatory processes such as pyelonephritis caused by Escherichia coli, pneumonia with pleural effusion caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae or sepsis

Detailed Description

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Many studies demonstrated immune differences between men and women suffering from acute and chronic inflammatory processes. In cases of acute inflammatory diseases, such as sepsis, females have better prognosis comparing to males (1,24-28).

On the contrary, worse prognosis for women is observed in chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma or cystic fibrosis (8-10,12,13,29).

Sex-depended inflammatory response was attributed to the influence of sex hormones on the immune system. (2,15-18). However recent studies revealed differences in the clinical outcome but also in inflammatory markers between boys and girls suffering from acute and chronic inflammatory diseases (19-23). Sex hormone levels in prepubertal children are particularly low and insufficient to explain the gender differences observed in inflammatory conditions from neonates to the elderly, suggesting the contribution of another mechanism, such as the influence of genes situated on the sex chromosomes and involved in the inflammatory response.

The aim of this work is to identify the potential X-linked mechanisms responsible for some of the differences between boys and girls in the inflammatory response, making the girls more at risk of developing complications in chronic inflammatory diseases and the boys more at risk of lethal complications in severe acute inflammatory diseases like sepsis. Several genes coding for innate immunity components are linked to the X chromosome such as diapedesis molecule CD99 or TLR pathway proteins genes. (30-33). X chromosome is also highly enriched in genes encoding micro RNAs (miRNAs) involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression which play a critical role in immune inflammatory response (34-36).

Thus, in order to discriminate more precisely the role of the X chromosome relatively to the sex steroids in the sex-specific inflammatory response, some innate immune functions related to X-linked genes will be evaluated in whole blood from prepubertal children of both sexes, suffering from acute inflammatory processes such as pyelonephritis caused by Escherichia coli, pneumonia with pleural effusion caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae or sepsis. We will also study the correlations between inflammatory and clinical markers of the disease activity to identify prognosis indicators depending on the sex. Additionally, to delineate microbiome contribution, we will study the gut microbiota in stool samples obtained from the recruited patients.

Conditions

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Sex Differences in Immune Response Acute Inflammatory Diseases in Children

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Children suffering from acute inflammatory processes.

The study population will consist of male and female children, aged from 6 months to 7 years old, admitted to the hospital for one of the three following types of acute inflammatory processes:

* Urinary tract infection caused by Escherichia coli
* Pneumonia with pleural effusion caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae
* Sepsis

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Blood collection

Intervention Type OTHER

Blood samples collections to evaluation of the potential role of the sex chromosomes in the innate immune response by analyzing inflammatory cytokine production (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-α), studying the cell diapedesis receptor CD99 on PMNs, monocytes, and lymphocytes, analyzing the contribution of X-linked genes of the TLR pathways and the influence of X-linked miRNAs.

Stool collection

Intervention Type OTHER

Fecal sample collection to delineate microbiome contribution, we will study the gut microbiota in faecal samples obtained from the recruited patients.

Control group

Male and female children, aged from 6 months to 7 years old, admitted to the hospital for a scheduled operation for a non-inflammatory pathology.

Group Type OTHER

Blood collection

Intervention Type OTHER

Blood samples collections to evaluation of the potential role of the sex chromosomes in the innate immune response by analyzing inflammatory cytokine production (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-α), studying the cell diapedesis receptor CD99 on PMNs, monocytes, and lymphocytes, analyzing the contribution of X-linked genes of the TLR pathways and the influence of X-linked miRNAs.

Interventions

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Blood collection

Blood samples collections to evaluation of the potential role of the sex chromosomes in the innate immune response by analyzing inflammatory cytokine production (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-α), studying the cell diapedesis receptor CD99 on PMNs, monocytes, and lymphocytes, analyzing the contribution of X-linked genes of the TLR pathways and the influence of X-linked miRNAs.

Intervention Type OTHER

Stool collection

Fecal sample collection to delineate microbiome contribution, we will study the gut microbiota in faecal samples obtained from the recruited patients.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Male (XY) and female (XX) aged from 6 months to 7 years old.
* Subject hospitalized either for:

(1) Urinary tract infection caused by Escherichia Coli, with:
* Temperature ≥ to 38,5°C
* Urinalysis

* Leukocyte esterase +
* AND/OR Nitrites +
* AND/OR pyuria (≥ 100WBC/mm³)
* AND/OR bacteriuria.
* Urinalysis

* Clean catch voided urine: \> 10\^4 Escherichia Coli colony form unit (CFU)/mm (urine collection method for children \>3 years old or toilet trained children or by stimulation for children \<3 years old)
* Transurethral bladder catheterisation: \> 10\^4 Escherichia Coli colony form unit (CFU)/mm³ (urine collection method for children \<3 years old).
* Suprapubic aspiration: \> 1 Escherichia Coli colony form unit (CFU)/mm³ (urine collection method for children \<3 years old).

(2) Pneumonia with pleural effusion with :
* Temperature ≥ 38,5°C
* Chest radiography/ultrasound: Pleural effusion
* Streptococcus pneumoniae identified on blood or pleural fluid culture or by PCR

(3) Sepsis with:
* Documented or suspected infection
* Temperature \< 36° or \> 38.3°C
* Heart rhythm:

* 2 SD above normal for age
* 6-23 months: \>180/min
* 24-71 months: \>140/min
* 72-84 months: \>130/min
* Respiratory Rate:

* 6-23 months: \>35/min
* 24 - 71 months: \>30/min
* 72-84 months: \>20/min
* WBC:

* 6-23 months: \>17500/µL or \<5000/µL
* 24-71 months: \>15500/µL or \<6000/µL
* 72-84 months: \>13500/µL or \<4500/µL
* and/or CRP (blood) \> 2SD above normal
* And at least two of the following:

* PaO2/FiO2 \<300
* Proven need for \>50% FiO2 to maintain saturation ≥ 92%
* Need for mechanical ventilation
* Glasgow score \< 11
* Urine output \< 0,5mL/kg/h for at least 2h
* Creatinine:

* 6-11 months: \>0,4mg/dL
* 12-23 months: \>0,5mg/dL
* 24-59 months: \>0,8mg/dL
* 60-84 months: \>1mg/dL
* Or creatinine increase more than 0,5 mg/dL
* Platelet count \<100000/mL
* Bilirubin \>2 mg/dL
* Mean arterial pressure (MAP)

* 6-11 months: \<55 mmHg
* 12 -23 months: \<60 mmHg
* 24-59 months: \<62 mmHg
* 60-84 months: \<65 mmHg
* SBP less than two SD below normal for age
* Prolonged capillary refill: \> 5 sec


* Male (XY) and female (XX) aged from 6 months to 7 years old.
* Scheduled surgical intervention for a non-infectious pathology.

Exclusion Criteria

* Use of antithrombotic drugs (acetylsalicylic acid, thienopyridines, dipyridamol, glycoprotein IIb / IIIa antagonists, vitamin K antagonists, heparins).
* Congenital or acquired immunodeficiency: immunosuppressive drugs, hematopoietic stem cells transplantation, immunoglobulin therapy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
* Hemodialysis.
* 48h following cardiac operation of any type.
* Malignant cancer.
* HIV.
Minimum Eligible Age

6 Months

Maximum Eligible Age

7 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Belgium Kid's Fund

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Alexandros Popotals, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

HUDERF

Locations

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HUDERF

Brussels, , Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Belgium

Central Contacts

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Alexandros Popotas, MD

Role: CONTACT

+32 2 477 24 24

Nicolas Lefevre, MD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+32 2 477 23 41

Facility Contacts

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Alexandros Popotas, MD

Role: primary

+32 2 477 24 24

Georges Casimir, MD, PhD

Role: backup

+ 32 2 477 29 45

References

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Other Identifiers

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P2019/LABO/SepsiX

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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