Feasibility of Adipose Tissue Triglyceride (TG) Labelling in Familial Partial Lipodystrophy (FPLD)

NCT ID: NCT05996536

Last Updated: 2025-11-24

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

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

14 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-01-03

Study Completion Date

2026-06-01

Brief Summary

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Background:

People with familial partial lipodystrophy (FPLD) do not store fat in the body normally. This can lead to serious illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. To learn more about FPLD, researchers want to compare the fat tissue in people with this disease to the fat tissue of healthy people.

Objective:

To collect and analyze samples of fat tissue in people with and without FPLD.

Eligibility:

People aged 18 to 65 years with FPLD. Healthy adults are also needed.

Design:

Participants will be screened. They will have a physical exam. The size and shape of their body will be measured. They will have an imaging scan to measure their bones, muscle, and fat.

Participants will be given heavy water to drink at home. The water contains a tracer to help measure the fat in their blood. They will drink 1 vial 3 times a day.

After drinking the water for 9 days, participants will come to the clinic for a 3-day stay. They will eat only foods provided by the hospital; the foods will contain tracers. A needle will be inserted into a vein in the arm; participants will receive infusions of other tracers through this needle into their blood; this needle will also be used to draw blood samples for testing.

On their third day in the clinic, participants will have biopsies: Small samples of fat will be removed from under the skin on the belly and thigh.

Participants may return for a follow-up visit 8 days after leaving the clinic. Blood draws and fat tissue biopsies will be repeated.

Detailed Description

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Study Description:

The feasibility of adipose tissue triglyceride labeling in patients with FPLD will be assessed in this non-interventional protocol. Specifically, subjects with FPLD (n=5) and control subjects without FPLD (n=5) will undergo isotope administration followed by abdominal and femoral subcutaneous fat biopsies.

Objectives:

Primary objective:

(1) To establish the technique of subcutaneous femoral adipose tissue biopsy in patients with FPLD, and subsequently, (2) to establish the feasibility of detecting labeled TG/FA in these adipose tissue biopsy samples.

Secondary objectives:

(1) To determine metabolic fluxes in healthy volunteers and patients with FPLD. (2) To determine if peripheral subcutaneous adipocytes are capable of fatty acid uptake and retention in patients with FPLD. (3) To assess standard metabolic parameters impacted by adipose fat storage capacity. (4) To assess different forms of circulating fat. (5) To determine feasibility of measuring adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity.

Endpoints:

Primary Endpoints:

(1) Feasibility of performing subcutaneous femoral adipose tissue biopsy in patients with FPLD and (2) presence of detectable stable isotope labeling in adipose tissue specimens.

Secondary Endpoints:

(1) Blood labeling of glucose, glycerol, palmitate, and saponified fatty acids and other metabolites, as feasible; (2) quantity of stable isotope labeling in adipose tissue specimens; (3) blood glucose, insulin, NEFA, beta-OH-butyrate; (4) blood TG, VLDL, chylomicrons, NEFA and complete lipoprotein panel by NMR; (5) adipose tissue LPL activity and (6) adipose tissue histologic analysis.

Conditions

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Lipodystrophy

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

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Non-lipodystrophic controls

Non-lipodystrophic controls

No interventions assigned to this group

Partial Lipodystrophy

Partial Lipodystrophy

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
2. Age \>= 18 and \<= 65 years
3. Agreement to adhere to Lifestyle Considerations throughout study duration.
4. Weight stability (per the subject) within approximately 3 kg in the 3 months prior to screening, with no plans to actively gain or lose weight during the study period.


1. Clinical diagnosis of partial lipodystrophy based on reduction in adipose tissue outside the normal range in selected adipose depots (including, at a minimum, the gluteofemoral depot) with preservation of adipose tissue in other depots.
2. Adequate abdominal and thigh adipose tissue for feasible subcutaneous fat biopsy, as judged by the investigator.

CONTROL MATCHING CRITERIA:


1. Sex
2. Age plus-minus 5 years
3. Diabetic status
4. Abdominal circumference plus-minus 10 cm
5. Height plus-minus 5 cm

Exclusion Criteria

An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:

1. Uncontrolled diabetes, defined as HbA1C \>8% at screening.
2. Use of insulin secretagogues (sulfonylureas) in week prior to Study Visit 1.
3. Changes in insulin dose \>30% of total daily dose in the 2 weeks prior to Study Visit 1.
4. Use of niacin in the week prior to Study Visit 1.
5. Use of antiplatelets that cannot be safely held for the appropriate duration prior to each biopsy visit, including Plavix (one week prior to biopsy), aspirin (one week prior to biopsy) and NSAIDS (48 hours prior to biopsy).
6. Chronic use of anticoagulant medications that cannot be safely stopped for an appropriate duration of time prior to a biopsy procedure.
7. Lipemia defined as non-fasting triglycerides of \>1000 mg/dL at screening.
8. Renal dysfunction defined as GFR \<60 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 at screening.
9. Consuming extreme macronutrient diet (e.g., very low-carbohydrate, high fat diets such as ketogenic, paleo or Atkins diets, among others).
10. Positive pregnancy test or breastfeeding at screening.
11. History of HIV, hepatitis B or C infection.
12. History of acquired lipodystrophy.
13. Clinically significant abnormalities in thyroid function, liver function, blood counts, or blood minerals as assessed by screening labs.
14. Inability to comply with planned study procedures.
15. Inability of subject to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
16. Any condition which in the opinion of the investigator increases risk to subjects, prevents subject from complying with study procedures, prevents the subject from completing the study, or interferes with the interpretation of study results.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

NIH

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Rebecca J Brown, M.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Locations

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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Megan S Startzell, R.N.

Role: CONTACT

(301) 402-6371

Rebecca J Brown, M.D.

Role: CONTACT

(301) 594-0609

Facility Contacts

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NIH Clinical Center Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR)

Role: primary

800-411-1222 ext. TTY dial 711

Related Links

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Other Identifiers

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001651-DK

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: secondary_id

10001651

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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