Iron Deficiency in Pediatric Celiac Disease: Diet vs. Iron Supplementation Trial

NCT ID: NCT06921343

Last Updated: 2025-04-10

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

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

150 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-04-30

Study Completion Date

2028-12-31

Brief Summary

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This study aims to understand how to best manage iron deficiency in children newly diagnosed with celiac disease. Many children with celiac disease have low iron levels, even if they do not have anemia. While some doctors recommend iron supplements, others believe that simply following a gluten-free diet may be enough to restore iron levels naturally.

In this study, children with newly diagnosed celiac disease and low iron levels (but normal hemoglobin) will be randomly assigned to one of two groups:

Gluten-Free Diet Only - No additional iron supplements Gluten-Free Diet + Iron Supplementation Researchers will compare iron store levels over one year to see if iron supplements provide any additional benefit beyond the gluten-free diet alone. The study will also track possible side effects of iron supplements, such as stomach discomfort.

This study will help doctors determine the best approach to managing iron deficiency in children with celiac disease, ensuring they receive the safest and most effective treatment.

Detailed Description

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This is a prospective, randomized, controlled, open-label, non-inferiority trial designed to evaluate the necessity of iron supplementation in children newly diagnosed with celiac disease and iron deficiency without anemia. The study will compare two treatment strategies:

Gluten-Free Diet Alone Gluten-Free Diet + Iron Supplementation The primary objective is to determine whether a gluten-free diet alone is sufficient to restore ferritin levels or if iron supplementation provides a significant additional benefit.

Study Design \& Methods Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups.

Ferritin levels will be monitored at baseline, 4 months, and 12 months to assess improvements.

The study will also evaluate patient adherence to a gluten-free diet and iron supplementation, quality of life, as well as the incidence of gastrointestinal side effects related to iron supplement use.

This study is expected to provide evidence-based guidance for the management of iron deficiency in pediatric celiac disease, addressing a gap in current clinical recommendations.

Conditions

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Celiac Disease in Children Iron Deficiency

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Intervention group

Gluten-free diet + Oral Iron Supplementation Iron (III) Hydroxide Polymaltose (50 mg/5 mL) at a single dose of 6 mg/kg/day, maximum 100 mg/day, for 3 months

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Iron (III) Hydroxide Polymaltose (50 mg/5 mL)

Intervention Type DRUG

Participants randomized to the intervention group will receive oral iron supplementation in addition to a gluten-free diet. The specific iron formulation used in this study is Iron (III) Hydroxide Polymaltose (50 mg/5 mL) at a dosage of 6 mg/kg/day, up to a maximum of 100 mg/day, for 3 months.

The iron supplement will be given once daily, preferably on an empty stomach or with vitamin C-containing foods to enhance absorption. Parents/caregivers will be instructed on proper administration, and adherence will be monitored through weekly self-reported intake logs and pharmacy dispensing records.

This intervention is specifically targeted at children with newly diagnosed celiac disease and iron deficiency without anemia.

The study follows a non-inferiority design, comparing the effect of iron supplementation versus a gluten-free diet alone on ferritin levels.

Gluten-free diet

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants in the control group will follow a strict gluten-free diet, the standard-of-care treatment for celiac disease. No iron supplementation will be given. Compliance will be monitored through self-reported adherence and TTG antibody levels at follow-up.

Control group

Gluten-free diet

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Gluten-free diet

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants in the control group will follow a strict gluten-free diet, the standard-of-care treatment for celiac disease. No iron supplementation will be given. Compliance will be monitored through self-reported adherence and TTG antibody levels at follow-up.

Interventions

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Iron (III) Hydroxide Polymaltose (50 mg/5 mL)

Participants randomized to the intervention group will receive oral iron supplementation in addition to a gluten-free diet. The specific iron formulation used in this study is Iron (III) Hydroxide Polymaltose (50 mg/5 mL) at a dosage of 6 mg/kg/day, up to a maximum of 100 mg/day, for 3 months.

The iron supplement will be given once daily, preferably on an empty stomach or with vitamin C-containing foods to enhance absorption. Parents/caregivers will be instructed on proper administration, and adherence will be monitored through weekly self-reported intake logs and pharmacy dispensing records.

This intervention is specifically targeted at children with newly diagnosed celiac disease and iron deficiency without anemia.

The study follows a non-inferiority design, comparing the effect of iron supplementation versus a gluten-free diet alone on ferritin levels.

Intervention Type DRUG

Gluten-free diet

Participants in the control group will follow a strict gluten-free diet, the standard-of-care treatment for celiac disease. No iron supplementation will be given. Compliance will be monitored through self-reported adherence and TTG antibody levels at follow-up.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Children aged 18 months to 18 years
* Newly diagnosed with celiac disease (based on ESPGHAN guidelines)
* Ferritin levels below 15 ng/dL
* Normal hemoglobin, MCV, and MCH levels for age and sex

Exclusion Criteria

* IgA deficiency preventing TTG antibody monitoring
* Potential celiac disease (positive serology with normal intestinal histology)
* Underlying diseases that may cause anemia (e.g., Inflammatory bowel disease, eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease, certain gastritis types)
* Diseases affecting iron absorption (e.g., Cystic Fibrosis)
* Congenital anemia (e.g., Thalassemia, hereditary spherocytosis)
* Prior iron supplementation (\>14 days oral iron within 2 months or IV iron within 6 months before diagnosis)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Months

Maximum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Schneider Children's Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Rambam Hospital, Haifa, Israel

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Meir Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Assuta Ashdod Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Kaplan Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Tal Ben-Ami

Head of Pedatric Hematology Unit

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Assuta Ashdod Medical Center

Ashdod, Israel, Israel

Site Status

Rambam Medical Center

Haifa, Israel, Israel

Site Status

Meir Medical Center

Kfar Saba, Israel, Israel

Site Status

Schneider Children's Medical Center

Petah Tikva, Israel, Israel

Site Status

Kaplan Medical Center

Rehovot, Israel, Israel

Site Status

Countries

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Israel

Central Contacts

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Tal Ben-Ami, M.D

Role: CONTACT

+972-8-9441566

Yael Zeitek, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+972-52-627-4987

Facility Contacts

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Chani Topf-Olivestone, MD

Role: primary

972 54-463-8297

Ron Shaoul, MD

Role: primary

+972-50-2063333

Eyal Zifman, MD

Role: primary

+972-54-5740004

Anat Guz, MD

Role: primary

+972544228113

Tal Ben Ami, MD

Role: primary

0507414922

Yael Zeitak, PhD

Role: backup

+972-52-627-4987

References

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Ben-Ami T, Trotskovsky A, Topf-Olivestone C, Kori M. Iron deficiency without anemia in children with newly diagnosed celiac disease: 1-year follow-up of ferritin levels, with and without iron supplementation. Eur J Pediatr. 2024 Nov;183(11):4705-4710. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05721-1. Epub 2024 Aug 27.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39190044 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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KMC-25-0038

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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