NCT04671186

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to evaluate the role of probiotics in the treatment of pediatric NAFLD by evaluating for steatosis and fibrosis with a Fibroscan machine. This will be done by performing a fibroscan during each visit and comparing patients' ALT at various intervals. This is an important study as current pediatric guidelines only recommend lifestyle modifications for the treatment of NAFLD and the use of ALT and sonogram to assess improvement as standard of care. Investigators hypothesized that treatment with a probiotic will demonstrate an improvement in NAFLD as assessed by a fibroscan of liver which is good for the monitoring of steatosis and fibrosis. Additionally, analysis of fecal microbiome results may offer insight into targeted therapy in the future.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
47

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Sep 2020

Typical duration for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

September 1, 2020

Completed
6 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 7, 2020

Completed
3 months until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

December 17, 2020

Completed
9 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 6, 2021

Completed
1.5 years until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 1, 2023

Completed
Last Updated

April 14, 2023

Status Verified

April 1, 2023

Enrollment Period

12 months

First QC Date

September 1, 2020

Last Update Submit

April 12, 2023

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

  • The role of probiotics in the treatment of pediatric NAFLD by evaluating for steatosis with a Fibroscan machine.

    The primary endpoint/outcome assesses the effect of probiotic treatment in liver steatosis by assessing with fibroscan using CAP score.

    One year

  • The role of probiotics in the treatment of pediatric NAFLD by evaluating for fibrosis with a Fibroscan machine.

    The primary endpoint/outcome assesses the effect of probiotic treatment in liver fibrosis by assessing with fibroscan using TE staging.

    One year

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • Rate of decline in ALT.

    One year

  • Change in fecal microbiome

    One year

  • Decrease in BMI

    One year

Study Arms (2)

Probiotic group

EXPERIMENTAL

Probiotic group will receive Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG one capsule oral daily (10 billion CFU/day) throughout the study

Dietary Supplement: Culturelle (Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG)

Placebo Group

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Placebo group is to receive placebo oral capsule daily throughout the study.

Other: Placebo

Interventions

Culturelle probiotics are typically sold over the counter as dietary supplements Probiotics group will take 1 capsule of probiotics orally once daily

Probiotic group
PlaceboOTHER

Placebo group will take 1 capsule of placebo orally once daily

Placebo Group

Eligibility Criteria

Age5 Years - 18 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • This study will target pediatric patients with NAFLD. Participants will be new and previously diagnosed NAFLD patients between the ages of 5 years and 18 years. Diagnosis must be made by elevated serum ALT (two times above the sex specific upper limit of normal) and a sonogram consistent with steatosis

You may not qualify if:

  • Concomitant underlying liver disease such as but not limited to autoimmune hepatitis
  • Concomitant infectious hepatitis
  • Medication use of steroids, methotrexate, metformin, and therapeutic dose of Vit. E
  • Recent antibiotic use in last 4 weeks
  • Clinically significant weight loss (at least 5% reduction in weight from baseline level \[18\]) on follow up NAFLD patients who were on life style modification intervention
  • Cirrhosis (Fibroscan score ≥14.0)\>

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Cohen Children's Medical Center

New Hyde Park, New York, 11042, United States

Location

Related Publications (21)

  • Wong RJ, Aguilar M, Cheung R, Perumpail RB, Harrison SA, Younossi ZM, Ahmed A. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is the second leading etiology of liver disease among adults awaiting liver transplantation in the United States. Gastroenterology. 2015 Mar;148(3):547-55. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2014.11.039. Epub 2014 Nov 25.

    PMID: 25461851BACKGROUND
  • Alisi A, Manco M, Vania A, Nobili V. Pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in 2009. J Pediatr. 2009 Oct;155(4):469-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.06.014. No abstract available.

    PMID: 19772998BACKGROUND
  • Paolella G, Mandato C, Pierri L, Poeta M, Di Stasi M, Vajro P. Gut-liver axis and probiotics: their role in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Nov 14;20(42):15518-31. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i42.15518.

    PMID: 25400436BACKGROUND
  • Vos MB, Abrams SH, Barlow SE, Caprio S, Daniels SR, Kohli R, Mouzaki M, Sathya P, Schwimmer JB, Sundaram SS, Xanthakos SA. NASPGHAN Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children: Recommendations from the Expert Committee on NAFLD (ECON) and the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN). J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2017 Feb;64(2):319-334. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000001482.

    PMID: 28107283BACKGROUND
  • Comparison of Controlled Attenuation Parameter and Liver Biopsy to Assess Hepatic Steatosis in Pediatric PatientsAuthor links open overlay panel NiravK.DesaiMD1,SarahHarneyBA1,RoshanRazaMD1,AlyaaAlIbraheemiMD2, NickShillingfordMD2, Paul D.MitchellMS3, Maureen M.JonasMD1

    BACKGROUND
  • Schwimmer JB, Newton KP, Awai HI, Choi LJ, Garcia MA, Ellis LL, Vanderwall K, Fontanesi J. Paediatric gastroenterology evaluation of overweight and obese children referred from primary care for suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013 Nov;38(10):1267-77. doi: 10.1111/apt.12518. Epub 2013 Oct 1.

    PMID: 24117728BACKGROUND
  • Draijer L, Benninga M, Koot B. Pediatric NAFLD: an overview and recent developments in diagnostics and treatment. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 May;13(5):447-461. doi: 10.1080/17474124.2019.1595589. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

    PMID: 30875479BACKGROUND
  • Leung C, Rivera L, Furness JB, Angus PW. The role of the gut microbiota in NAFLD. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016 Jul;13(7):412-25. doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2016.85. Epub 2016 Jun 8.

    PMID: 27273168BACKGROUND
  • Lau E, Carvalho D, Freitas P. Gut Microbiota: Association with NAFLD and Metabolic Disturbances. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:979515. doi: 10.1155/2015/979515. Epub 2015 May 19.

    PMID: 26090468BACKGROUND
  • Ley RE, Backhed F, Turnbaugh P, Lozupone CA, Knight RD, Gordon JI. Obesity alters gut microbial ecology. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Aug 2;102(31):11070-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0504978102. Epub 2005 Jul 20.

    PMID: 16033867BACKGROUND
  • Ley RE, Peterson DA, Gordon JI. Ecological and evolutionary forces shaping microbial diversity in the human intestine. Cell. 2006 Feb 24;124(4):837-48. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2006.02.017.

    PMID: 16497592BACKGROUND
  • Henao-Mejia J, Elinav E, Jin C, Hao L, Mehal WZ, Strowig T, Thaiss CA, Kau AL, Eisenbarth SC, Jurczak MJ, Camporez JP, Shulman GI, Gordon JI, Hoffman HM, Flavell RA. Inflammasome-mediated dysbiosis regulates progression of NAFLD and obesity. Nature. 2012 Feb 1;482(7384):179-85. doi: 10.1038/nature10809.

    PMID: 22297845BACKGROUND
  • Mouzaki M, Comelli EM, Arendt BM, Bonengel J, Fung SK, Fischer SE, McGilvray ID, Allard JP. Intestinal microbiota in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatology. 2013 Jul;58(1):120-7. doi: 10.1002/hep.26319. Epub 2013 May 14.

    PMID: 23401313BACKGROUND
  • Le Roy T, Llopis M, Lepage P, Bruneau A, Rabot S, Bevilacqua C, Martin P, Philippe C, Walker F, Bado A, Perlemuter G, Cassard-Doulcier AM, Gerard P. Intestinal microbiota determines development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice. Gut. 2013 Dec;62(12):1787-94. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2012-303816. Epub 2012 Nov 29.

    PMID: 23197411BACKGROUND
  • Alisi A, Bedogni G, Baviera G, Giorgio V, Porro E, Paris C, Giammaria P, Reali L, Anania F, Nobili V. Randomised clinical trial: The beneficial effects of VSL#3 in obese children with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2014 Jun;39(11):1276-85. doi: 10.1111/apt.12758. Epub 2014 Apr 16.

    PMID: 24738701BACKGROUND
  • Vajro P, Mandato C, Licenziati MR, Franzese A, Vitale DF, Lenta S, Caropreso M, Vallone G, Meli R. Effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG in pediatric obesity-related liver disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2011 Jun;52(6):740-3. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e31821f9b85.

    PMID: 21505361BACKGROUND
  • Ferolla SM, Armiliato GN, Couto CA, Ferrari TC. Probiotics as a complementary therapeutic approach in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. World J Hepatol. 2015 Mar 27;7(3):559-65. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v7.i3.559.

    PMID: 25848479BACKGROUND
  • Swift DL, Johannsen NM, Lavie CJ, Earnest CP, Blair SN, Church TS. Effects of clinically significant weight loss with exercise training on insulin resistance and cardiometabolic adaptations. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2016 Apr;24(4):812-9. doi: 10.1002/oby.21404. Epub 2016 Mar 3.

    PMID: 26935138BACKGROUND
  • Patton HM, Yates K, Unalp-Arida A, Behling CA, Huang TT, Rosenthal P, Sanyal AJ, Schwimmer JB, Lavine JE. Association between metabolic syndrome and liver histology among children with nonalcoholic Fatty liver disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2010 Sep;105(9):2093-102. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2010.152. Epub 2010 Apr 6.

    PMID: 20372110BACKGROUND
  • Fusillo S, Rudolph B. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Pediatr Rev. 2015 May;36(5):198-205; quiz 206. doi: 10.1542/pir.36-5-198.

    PMID: 25934909BACKGROUND
  • Awai HI, Newton KP, Sirlin CB, Behling C, Schwimmer JB. Evidence and recommendations for imaging liver fat in children, based on systematic review. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014 May;12(5):765-73. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2013.09.050. Epub 2013 Sep 30.

    PMID: 24090729BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Fatty LiverLiver DiseasesDigestive System Diseases

Study Officials

  • Shari Sheflin-Findling

    Cohen Children's Medical Center

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
TRIPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR
Masking Details
Participants will be blindly randomized at baseline (Visit 1) into one of two groups: probiotic or placebo. Investigators are to be blinded as well
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Model Details: Participants will be blindly randomized at Visit 1 into one of two groups (probiotic or placebo). Probiotic group will receive Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG one capsule oral daily (10 billion CFU/day) and the other group receive placebo oral capsule daily throughout the study. All participants in either group will undergo: Life style modification as per NASPGHAN NAFLD guidelines. Fibroscan assessing CAP and TE score once every 3 month until the end of study. Monitoring ALT every 3 months until end of study as per standard of care guidelines.Collection of stool sample to be sent for microbiome analysis at the time of diagnosis, 3 months and 6 months (end of the study). Secondary variables collected, Age, Gender, Race, BMI, Fibroscan probe.
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

September 1, 2020

First Posted

December 17, 2020

Study Start

September 7, 2020

Primary Completion

September 6, 2021

Study Completion

March 1, 2023

Last Updated

April 14, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-04

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations