Genetic Carbohydrate Maldigestion as a Model to Study Food Hypersensitivity

NCT ID: NCT05795049

Last Updated: 2025-12-19

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

2000 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-07-23

Study Completion Date

2026-03-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects one in seven people with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. IBS strongly impacts quality of life, is a leading cause of work absenteeism, and consumes 0.5% of the healthcare annual budget. It manifests in women more than men with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation (IBS-C), diarrhoea (IBS-D), and mixed presentations (IBS-M) (1). The development of therapeutic options is hampered by the poor understanding of the underlying cause of symptoms.

Many patients find that certain foods (particularly carbohydrates) trigger their symptoms, and avoiding such foods has been shown effective in IBS, like in the low-FODMAP (fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols) exclusion diet.

This has suggested that the food-symptom relation may involve malabsorption of carbohydrates due to inefficient digestion. However only a percentage of patients respond to this diet. Recently it has been reported that a subset of IBS carries hypomorphic (defective) gene variant of the sucrase isomaltase (SI), the enzyme that normally digests carbohydrates, sucrose and starch. This carbohydrate maldigestion (the breakdown of complex carbohydrates by a person's small bowel enzymes) is characterized by diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating, which are also features of IBS. This possibly occurs via accumulation of undigested carbohydrates in the large bowel, where they cause symptoms due to gas production following bacterial fermentation. Similar mechanisms may be acting at the level of other enzymes involved in the digestion, breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates (carb digestion genes -CDGs). Aim of the study is to study the prevalence of this genetic alteration in a large number of IBS patients as compared to asymptomatic controls.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Sucrase Isomaltase Deficiency

Keywords

Explore important study keywords that can help with search, categorization, and topic discovery.

nutrigenetics carbohydrates maldigestion

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Observational Model Type

CASE_CONTROL

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

IBS Patient

IBS patient with diarrhoea or alternating bowel habit

Stool and saliva sample collection

Intervention Type OTHER

Stool and saliva samples collection

Questionnaire completion

Intervention Type OTHER

Questionnaire on;

* demographic, ethnicity, IBS subtype, post-infection onset, previous surgeries
* IBS severity score for adults
* Hospital Anxiety and Depression scores for adults
* Somatization score for adults
* Total glucose and fructose and excess fructose, lactose, sorbitol, mannitol, oligosaccharides (Fructans and GOS) as measured by CNAQ questionnaire for adults and children
* Quality of Life as measured by the PedsQL™ GI Symptoms Module
* GI symptoms as measured by the PedsQL™ GI Symptoms Module
* Anxiety, Depression as measured by the Pediatric PROMIS®

Healthy subject

Participants without IBS

Stool and saliva sample collection

Intervention Type OTHER

Stool and saliva samples collection

Questionnaire completion

Intervention Type OTHER

Questionnaire on;

* demographic, ethnicity, IBS subtype, post-infection onset, previous surgeries
* IBS severity score for adults
* Hospital Anxiety and Depression scores for adults
* Somatization score for adults
* Total glucose and fructose and excess fructose, lactose, sorbitol, mannitol, oligosaccharides (Fructans and GOS) as measured by CNAQ questionnaire for adults and children
* Quality of Life as measured by the PedsQL™ GI Symptoms Module
* GI symptoms as measured by the PedsQL™ GI Symptoms Module
* Anxiety, Depression as measured by the Pediatric PROMIS®

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Stool and saliva sample collection

Stool and saliva samples collection

Intervention Type OTHER

Questionnaire completion

Questionnaire on;

* demographic, ethnicity, IBS subtype, post-infection onset, previous surgeries
* IBS severity score for adults
* Hospital Anxiety and Depression scores for adults
* Somatization score for adults
* Total glucose and fructose and excess fructose, lactose, sorbitol, mannitol, oligosaccharides (Fructans and GOS) as measured by CNAQ questionnaire for adults and children
* Quality of Life as measured by the PedsQL™ GI Symptoms Module
* GI symptoms as measured by the PedsQL™ GI Symptoms Module
* Anxiety, Depression as measured by the Pediatric PROMIS®

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Patients age between 5 and 70 years of age.
* Patients with IBS-D or IBS-M as defined by the Rome III criteria.
* Previous negative endoscopy with biopsies excluding IBD or microscopic colitis in patients above 50 years old
* Negative relevant additional screening or consultation whenever appropriate
* Ability to conform to the study protocol


* Between 5 and 70 years of age
* Absence of Rome III IBS criteria

Exclusion Criteria

* Patients with IBS-C or IBS-U according to Rome III criteria
* Patients with any condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, makes the patient unsuitable for participation in the study.
* Patients on opioids
* Patients with concurrent organic gastrointestinal disease (inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, cancer), or a major disease such as diabetes, uncontrolled thyroid disease
* Patients with a history of bowel surgery (not appendectomy or cholecystectomy)
* Concurrent major confounding condition, e.g. alcohol or substance abuse in the last 2 years (clinician's judgement).


* Blood relatives of the participating IBS patient are not allowed to participate.
* Person with any condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, makes them unsuitable for participation in the study.
* Person presenting with a functional or organic GI disorder.
* Person presenting with underlying disease that may involve the GI tract (e.g. Parkinson's disease) or be associated with GI symptoms (e.g. anorexia nervosa, major depression).
Minimum Eligible Age

5 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

70 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

CICbioGUNE

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Nottingham, , United Kingdom

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United Kingdom

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Ford AC, Lacy BE, Talley NJ. Irritable Bowel Syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2017 Jun 29;376(26):2566-2578. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1607547. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28657875 (View on PubMed)

Shepherd SJ, Lomer MC, Gibson PR. Short-chain carbohydrates and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013 May;108(5):707-17. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2013.96. Epub 2013 Apr 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23588241 (View on PubMed)

Eswaran SL, Chey WD, Han-Markey T, Ball S, Jackson K. A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Low FODMAP Diet vs. Modified NICE Guidelines in US Adults with IBS-D. Am J Gastroenterol. 2016 Dec;111(12):1824-1832. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2016.434. Epub 2016 Oct 11.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27725652 (View on PubMed)

Ament ME, Perera DR, Esther LJ. Sucrase-isomaltase deficiency-a frequently misdiagnosed disease. J Pediatr. 1973 Nov;83(5):721-7. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(73)80362-2. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 4742566 (View on PubMed)

Chumpitazi BP, Lewis J, Cooper D, D'Amato M, Lim J, Gupta S, Miranda A, Terry N, Mehta D, Scheimann A, O'Gorman M, Tipnis N, Davies Y, Friedlander J, Smith H, Punati J, Khlevner J, Setty M, Di Lorenzo C. Hypomorphic SI genetic variants are associated with childhood chronic loose stools. PLoS One. 2020 May 20;15(5):e0231891. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231891. eCollection 2020.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32433684 (View on PubMed)

Henstrom M, Diekmann L, Bonfiglio F, Hadizadeh F, Kuech EM, von Kockritz-Blickwede M, Thingholm LB, Zheng T, Assadi G, Dierks C, Heine M, Philipp U, Distl O, Money ME, Belheouane M, Heinsen FA, Rafter J, Nardone G, Cuomo R, Usai-Satta P, Galeazzi F, Neri M, Walter S, Simren M, Karling P, Ohlsson B, Schmidt PT, Lindberg G, Dlugosz A, Agreus L, Andreasson A, Mayer E, Baines JF, Engstrand L, Portincasa P, Bellini M, Stanghellini V, Barbara G, Chang L, Camilleri M, Franke A, Naim HY, D'Amato M. Functional variants in the sucrase-isomaltase gene associate with increased risk of irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 2018 Feb;67(2):263-270. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2016-312456. Epub 2016 Nov 21.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27872184 (View on PubMed)

Garcia-Etxebarria K, Zheng T, Bonfiglio F, Bujanda L, Dlugosz A, Lindberg G, Schmidt PT, Karling P, Ohlsson B, Simren M, Walter S, Nardone G, Cuomo R, Usai-Satta P, Galeazzi F, Neri M, Portincasa P, Bellini M, Barbara G, Jonkers D, Eswaran S, Chey WD, Kashyap P, Chang L, Mayer EA, Wouters MM, Boeckxstaens G, Camilleri M, Franke A, D'Amato M. Increased Prevalence of Rare Sucrase-isomaltase Pathogenic Variants in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018 Oct;16(10):1673-1676. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2018.01.047. Epub 2018 Feb 21.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29408290 (View on PubMed)

Thingholm L, Ruhlemann M, Wang J, Hubenthal M, Lieb W, Laudes M, Franke A, D'Amato M. Sucrase-isomaltase 15Phe IBS risk variant in relation to dietary carbohydrates and faecal microbiota composition. Gut. 2019 Jan;68(1):177-178. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2017-315841. Epub 2018 Jan 13. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29331942 (View on PubMed)

Husein DM, Naim HY. Impaired cell surface expression and digestive function of sucrase-isomaltase gene variants are associated with reduced efficacy of low FODMAPs diet in patients with IBS-D. Gut. 2020 Aug;69(8):1538-1539. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-319411. Epub 2019 Jul 22. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31331993 (View on PubMed)

Zheng T, Eswaran S, Photenhauer AL, Merchant JL, Chey WD, D'Amato M. Reduced efficacy of low FODMAPs diet in patients with IBS-D carrying sucrase-isomaltase (SI) hypomorphic variants. Gut. 2020 Feb;69(2):397-398. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2018-318036. Epub 2019 Jan 18. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30658996 (View on PubMed)

Spiller RC, Thompson WG. Bowel disorders. Am J Gastroenterol. 2010 Apr;105(4):775-85. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2010.69. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20372130 (View on PubMed)

Rasquin A, Di Lorenzo C, Forbes D, Guiraldes E, Hyams JS, Staiano A, Walker LS. Childhood functional gastrointestinal disorders: child/adolescent. Gastroenterology. 2006 Apr;130(5):1527-37. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2005.08.063.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16678566 (View on PubMed)

Francis CY, Morris J, Whorwell PJ. The irritable bowel severity scoring system: a simple method of monitoring irritable bowel syndrome and its progress. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1997 Apr;11(2):395-402. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2036.1997.142318000.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9146781 (View on PubMed)

Snaith RP. The Hospital Anxiety And Depression Scale. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2003 Aug 1;1:29. doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-1-29.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12914662 (View on PubMed)

Spiller RC, Humes DJ, Campbell E, Hastings M, Neal KR, Dukes GE, Whorwell PJ. The Patient Health Questionnaire 12 Somatic Symptom scale as a predictor of symptom severity and consulting behaviour in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and symptomatic diverticular disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2010 Sep;32(6):811-20. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04402.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20629976 (View on PubMed)

Varni JW, Bendo CB, Denham J, Shulman RJ, Self MM, Neigut DA, Nurko S, Patel AS, Franciosi JP, Saps M, Verga B, Smith A, Yeckes A, Heinz N, Langseder A, Saeed S, Zacur GM, Pohl JF. PedsQL gastrointestinal symptoms module: feasibility, reliability, and validity. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2014 Sep;59(3):347-55. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000000414.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24806837 (View on PubMed)

Irwin DE, Stucky B, Langer MM, Thissen D, Dewitt EM, Lai JS, Varni JW, Yeatts K, DeWalt DA. An item response analysis of the pediatric PROMIS anxiety and depressive symptoms scales. Qual Life Res. 2010 May;19(4):595-607. doi: 10.1007/s11136-010-9619-3. Epub 2010 Mar 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20213516 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

288003

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

20GA093

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id