AzTrials
AzTrials

Colon CancerPhase 4EMPIRENCT02231203

Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on the Perioperative Immune Response and Erythrocyte Function

A Phase 4 study testing Omegaven in people with Colon Cancer, run by Medical Center Alkmaar at 1 site in Netherlands.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

Ideally, the postoperative inflammatory response is part of a well-orchestrated mechanism that contributes to tissue healing and rapid recovery. An exaggerated uncontrolled inflammatory response, however may lead to catabolism, tissue damage and organ failure. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 60 to 80 years
Conditions the study is for
Colon Cancer
What is being tested?
Omegaven
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
44 participants
Where
1 siteNetherlands
Study dates
Oct 2014to Jun 2016
Phase
Phase 4
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 60 to 80 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Patients (male or female) undergoing elective laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer
  • Age between 60 and 80 years
  • BMI between 20 kg/m2 and below 30 kg/m2
  • Written informed consent

Who cannot join

  • Participation in or having participated in another clinical trial within the previous 3 months
  • Indications for continuously use of anticoagulant medication and no possibility to stop these medication perioperatively, for example patients with an artificial heart valve
  • Pre-operative Hemoglobin<5.0 mmol/L
  • Metastatic disease
  • Very poor peripheral venous access
  • Current history of inflammatory or infectious disease
Show all 12Show fewer
  • The use of anti-inflammatory drugs
  • The use of thyroid medication
  • The use of fish oil products or fish consumption more than 2 times a week
  • Contra-indication for the use of Omegaven-Fresenius, including:
  • General contra-indications for parenteral nutrition
  • Allergy to fish or egg protein.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Netherlands1 site
  • Medical Center of Alkmaar

    Alkmaar, North Holland

Other trials in Netherlands

About this study

Official title: Effect of Intravenous Omega-3 Fatty Acids on the Perioperative Immune Response and Erythrocyte Function in Patients With Colon Cancer

Ideally, the postoperative inflammatory response is part of a well-orchestrated mechanism that contributes to tissue healing and rapid recovery. An exaggerated uncontrolled inflammatory response, however may lead to catabolism, tissue damage and organ failure. Omega-3 fatty acids may provide a means to alter cellular immune responses to the benefit of the patient. When omega-3 fatty acids are incorporated into membranes of inflammatory cells, they trigger intracellular signalling pathways that result in a less pro-inflammatory response. They modify gene and protein expression, modulate membrane protein activity and act as a reservoir for bioactive molecules. They also have a strong anti-inflammatory effect by mediating resolution of the inflammation. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids improve erythrocyte function, which is vital for an adequate microcirculation, tissue oxygenation and wound healing.

The investigators hypothesize that the perioperative administration of intravenous omega-3 fatty acids results in a rapid incorporation in immune cells and erythrocytes, thereby reducing the postoperative inflammatory response and improving erythrocyte function in patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Conditions
Colon Cancer
Being tested
Omegaven, Placebo
Keywords
fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, postoperative inflammatory response, erythrocyte function
Medical subject headings
Colonic Neoplasms

What participants receive

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

  • OmegavenDrug

    Also called purified fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoicacid (EPA), docosahexaenoicacid (DHA)

    2 infusions, 2 ml/kg, one the night before operation and one the day after operation

  • PlaceboDrug

    Also called NaCl 0,9%, Natriumchloride 0,9%, glass container NaCl 0,9% Fresenius Kabi

    2 infusions, 2 ml/kg, one the night before operation and one the day after operation

Study groups in NCT02231203
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
PlaceboPlacebo comparator2 infusions of NaCl, 2 ml/kg, one the night before operation and one the day after operation.
Receives: Drug: Placebo
OmegavenActive comparator2 infusions of 2ml/kg, one the night before surgery and one the day after surgery
Receives: Drug: Omegaven

What is being measured

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

  1. Change in ex vivo production of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 in LPS stimulated whole blood

    Ex vivo stimulation of whole blood with LPS (lipopolysaccharide, component of gram negative bacteria) resulting in the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6, measured in ng/ml.

    Measured: baseline, day of surgery, postoperative day 1,2 and 4

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Change in ex vivo production of TNF-α and IL-10 in LPS stimulated whole blood

    Ex vivo stimulation of whole blood with LPS (lipopolysaccharide, component of gram negative bacteria) resulting in the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (interleukine-10), both measured in ng/ml.

    Measured: baseline, day of surgery, postoperative day 1, 2 and 4

  2. Change in erythrocyte function

    Erythrocyte deformability and aggregation measured by LORRCA (laser assisted optical rotational red cell analyzer)

    Measured: baseline, day of surgery, postoperative day 1, 2 and 4

  3. Change in in vivo systemic inflammatory response parameters

    White blood cell count, C-reactive protein and cytokine levels (Interleukine-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Interleukine-10) in serum.

    Measured: baseline, day of surgery, postoperative day 1, 2 and 4

Timeline

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

  1. First posted4 Sep 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study startOct 2014
  3. Primary completionJun 2016
  4. Study completionJun 2016

Resources

More details

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

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
44 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02231203
Sponsor's protocol ID
NL46230.029.13
Acronym
EMPIRE
Status last verified
Jul 2018
First submitted
29 Jul 2014
Last updated
31 Jul 2018
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Bakker N, van den Helder RS, Stoutjesdijk E, van Pelt J, Houdijk APJ. Effects of perioperative intravenous omega-3 fatty acids in colon cancer patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Feb 1;111(2):385-395. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz281.

    PubMed 31826232

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing Omegaven in people with Colon Cancer, run by Medical Center Alkmaar at 1 site in Netherlands.

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 12 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 31 Jul 2018. 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 Netherlands. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

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?

Change in ex vivo production of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 in LPS stimulated whole blood (time frame: baseline, day of surgery, postoperative day 1,2 and 4). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02231203, which also lists 1 linked publication.

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 31 Jul 2018.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in