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Neural Tube Defects (NTDs)NCT00341068

Genetic Analysis of Neural Tube and Orofacial Cleft Defects in the Irish Population

An observational study of Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) and Facial Cleft Defect, run by National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at 1 site in United States.

Terminated

Stopped early. The study ended before it was planned to and will not resume.

Official record
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Trial summary

In a collaborative effort with the Health Research Board, the national organization for medical research in the Republic of Ireland, individuals with neural tube defects (NTDs) or facial cleft defects and their parents will be studied. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages Up to 85 years
How many people
7,451 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
1 Jan 2000to 2 Dec 2019
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages Up to 85 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Eligible participants are children and adults with an NTD and their parents residing in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom
  • NTDs are defined to include all forms of spina bifida aperta (meningocele, meningomyelocele), encephalocele, anencephaly, rachischisis, iniencephaly and lipomeningocele. Hydrocephalus, hydranencephaly, dermal sinus and spina bifida occulta do not qualify as NTDs.
  • For oral clefts, eligible participants are children and adults with a facial cleft in Ireland and their parents.
  • All families with NTDs or clefts will be recruited for the study.

Who cannot join

  • Those with known syndromes will be excluded or analyzed separately.
  • Cases for whom both biologic parents are not available will be excluded from some components of triad (case, mother and father) analysis, although the data from the NTD case may be useful for other study components.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), 9000 Rockville Pike

    Bethesda, Maryland, 20892

Other trials in United States

About this study

In a collaborative effort with the Health Research Board, the national organization for medical research in the Republic of Ireland, individuals with neural tube defects (NTDs) or facial cleft defects and their parents will be studied. With the exception of a few well-described syndromes most cases of NTDs and facial clefts are not inherited in a Mendelian fashion. Nearly all incident cases occur in families with no prior history of the defects. The observed recurrence risk in families with an NTD child is 10-12 fold higher than the general population suggesting that inherited factors modify this risk. Historically, the incidence of NTDs in Ireland was 5-8 fold higher than the USA. The aim of this study is to identify the gene(s) involved in these defects using standard genetic epidemiology approaches, transmission disequilibrium testing and gene mapping strategies. We will initially evaluate genes known to be involved in folate metabolism and pattern formation (development of the body). The major outcomes measured will be aggregate allele frequencies in case groups compared to controls. Biochemical parameters in red cells and plasma will also be measured. Comparisons will be made between the presence of genetics variants, biochemical parameters and clinical phenotype. Characterizing the genes associated with these defects should provide insight into the etiology and metabolic processes that may be involved, furthering prevention and intervention efforts.

Read the detailed description

In a collaborative effort with the Health Research Board, the national organization for medical research in the Republic of Ireland, individuals with neural tube defects (NTDs) or facial cleft defects and their parents will be studied. With the exception of a few well-described syndromes most cases of NTDs and facial clefts are not inherited in a Mendelian fashion. Nearly all incident cases occur in families with no prior history of the defects. However, the observed recurrence risk in families with an NTD child is 10-20 fold higher than the general population incidence suggesting that inherited factors modify this risk. Historically, the incidence of NTDs in Ireland was 5-8 fold higher than the USA. The aim of this study is to identify the gene(s) involved in these defects using standard genetic epidemiology approaches, transmission disequilibrium testing and gene mapping strategies. We will initially evaluate genes known to be involved in folate metabolism and pattern formation (development of the body). The major outcomes measured will be aggregate allele frequencies in case groups compared to controls. Biochemical parameters in red blood cells and plasma will also be measured. Comparisons will be made between the presence of genetics variants, biochemical parameters and clinical phenotype. Characterizing the genes associated with these defects should provide insight into the etiology and metabolic processes that may be involved, furthering prevention and intervention efforts.

Keywords
Birth Defects, Folic Acid, Gene-Environment Interactions, Neural Tube Defects, Cleft Lip
Medical subject headings
Neural Tube Defects, Congenital Abnormalities, Cleft Lip

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Study groups in NCT00341068
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Cleftchildren and adults with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate and their parents residing in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom
NTDchildren and adults with an NTD (neural tube defects) and their parents residing in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Develop list of candidate genes for these disorders

    Develop list of candidate genes for these disorders

    Measured: Ongoing

  2. Identify intronic and coding polymorphisms in candidate genes

    Identify intronic and coding polymorphisms in candidate genes

    Measured: ongoing

  3. Score collected samples for association and/or linkage between specific alleles and disease status

    Score collected samples for association and/or linkage between specific alleles and disease status

    Measured: ongoing

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted21 Jun 2006 (estimated)
  2. Study start1 Jan 2000
  3. Study completion2 Dec 2019

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrolment
7,451 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00341068
Sponsor's protocol ID
999999053
Other IDs
OH99-HG-N053
Status last verified
2 Dec 2019
First submitted
19 Jun 2006
Last updated
5 Dec 2019
Results posted
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) and Facial Cleft Defect, run by National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Dec 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study was stopped early. Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Develop list of candidate genes for these disorders (time frame: Ongoing). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Dec 2019.

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