Reticular Pseudodrusen (RPD)Early Phase 1NCT03478878
Vitamin A Palmitate Supplementation in Patients With Reticular Pseudodrusen (RPD) and Delayed Dark Adaptation
A Early Phase 1 study testing Vitamin A Palmitate in people with Reticular Pseudodrusen (RPD) and Age-Related Macular Degeneration, run by National Eye Institute (NEI) at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease. It is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 55 in the U.S. Changes in the eye can make it difficult for they eye to adjust to low light. This is known as dark adaptation. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 50 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Reticular Pseudodrusen (RPD), Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- What is being tested?
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 9 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 14 May 2018to 17 Jun 2022
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
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 50 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- To be eligible, the following inclusion criteria must be met, where applicable.
- Participant must be 50 years of age or older.
- Participant must understand and sign the protocol s informed consent document.
- Any participant of childbearing potential must be willing to undergo urine pregnancy tests throughout the study.
- Any participant of childbearing potential and any participant able to father children must have (or have a partner who has) had a hysterectomy or vasectomy, be completely abstinent from intercourse, or must agree to practice at least one acceptable method of contraception throughout the course of the study and for one week after study supplement discontinuation. Acceptable methods of contraception include:
- Hormonal contraception (i.e. birth control pills, injected hormones, dermal patch or vaginal ring),
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- Intrauterine device,
- Barrier methods (diaphragm, condom) with spermicide, or
- Surgical sterilization (tubal ligation).
- Participants must agree to notify the study investigator or coordinator if any of their doctors initiate a new prescription medication during the course of this study.
- Participant must agree to not take vitamin A palmitate greater than or equal to 8,000 IU outside the study supplementation.
- For supplementation eligibility, participant must have normal liver function as demonstrated by the Chemistry 20 panel, or have mild abnormalities not above grade 1 as defined by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0 (CTCAE).
- Participant must not be pregnant or breast-feeding and must have a negative urine pregnancy test within 24 hours prior to initiation of study medication.
Who cannot join
- A participant is not eligible if any of the following exclusion criteria are present.
- Participant is in another investigational study and actively receiving study therapy.
- Participant is unable to comply with study procedures or follow-up visits.
- Participant is already taking vitamin A palmitate supplements greater than or equal to 8,000 IU.
- Participant has a history of vitamin A deficiency.
- Participant has a condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude participation in the study (e.g., unstable medical status including blood pressure and glycemic control).
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- Participant has a history of hepatitis or liver failure.
- Participant has chronic gastrointestinal disease.
- Participant will be excluded if the participant has serologic evidence of an active hepatitis infection.
- Participant was in Cohort 1 and took his/her last dose of vitamin A palmitate less than two months prior to enrolling in Cohort 2.
- STUDY EYE INCLUSION CRITERIA:
- The eye must have a best-corrected ETDRS visual acuity score better than or equal to 20/80 (i.e., equal to or better than 54 letters).
- Participant must have presence of reticular pseudodrusen on multi-modal imaging.
- Abnormal dark adaptation, which is defined as having an AdaptDx test with a RIT of 16 minutes or more at the screening visit. This is at least one standard deviation greater than the average normal RIT and includes room to account for variability in testing. If at any point during current testing or under a previous NEI protocol, a participant has exceeded the 40 minute test ceiling, they will have satisfied the inclusion criteria.
- STUDY EYE EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
- Presence of advanced macular degeneration with central geographic atrophy or choroidal neovascularization.
- An ocular condition is present (other than AMD) that, in the opinion of the investigator, might alter visual acuity during the course of the study (e.g., vein occlusion, uveitis or other ocular inflammatory disease, neovascular glaucoma, Irvine-Gass Syndrome, etc.).
- Substantial cataract that, in the opinion of the investigator, is likely to be decreasing visual acuity by three lines or more (i.e., cataract would be reducing acuity to 20/40 or worse if eye was otherwise normal).
- History of major ocular surgery (e.g., cataract extraction, scleral buckle, any intraocular surgery, etc.) within three months prior to study entry.
- History of YAG (Yttrium-Aluminum Garnet) capsulotomy performed within two months prior to study entry.
- CHOICE OF STUDY EYE IN CASES OF BILATERAL DISEASE:
- If both eyes meet the study eye eligibility criteria described above, the following criteria will be used to select the study eye for the purposes of this investigation:
- The eye with the better visual acuity will be chosen.
- If both eyes are equal acuity, the right eye will be arbitrarily chosen as the study eye
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
About this study
Official title: An Investigation of Vitamin A Palmitate Supplementation in Patients With Reticular Pseudodrusen (RPD) and Delayed Dark Adaptation
Background:
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease. It is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 55 in the U.S. Changes in the eye can make it difficult for they eye to adjust to low light. This is known as dark adaptation. This is particularly significant in people with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD). Identifying and watching the early to middle stages of AMD and changes in dark adaptation might help researchers learn to stop the disease before it becomes severe. Taking vitamin A might help improve vision in people with RPD.
Read more
Objectives:
To see if taking 16,000 IU of vitamin A per day improves vision in people with RPD. Also to improve understanding of RPD and associated dark adaptation.
Eligibility:
Adults ages 50 and older with RPD and normal liver function
Design:
Participants will be screened with:
Medical and eye disease history
Eye exam: The pupil will be dilated with eye drops. Pictures will be taken of the retina and the inside of the eye.
Including the screening visit, participants will have at least 5 visits. They will be about once a month over 6 months and last 4-6 hours. Visits include:
Questions about eye problems in certain light
Eye exam
Blood and urine tests
Dark adaptation protocol: Participants will sit at a machine in a dark room. They will look into the machine and push a button when they see a light. This lasts 20-40 minutes.
Participants will take a vitamin A supplement by mouth once a day for 2 months. They will record when they take the pills in a diary.
Read the detailed description
Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the potential efficacy and safety of vitamin A palmitate dosing in improving dark adaptation in participants with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) and abnormal dark adaptation.
Study Population: The first cohort consists of seven participants with RPD who meet the eligibility criteria. The second cohort will consist of five participants with RPD who meet the eligibility criteria. Up to five additional participants may be accrued in the second cohort to account for participants who withdraw from the study prior to receiving two months of study supplementation for a reason unrelated to an adverse reaction. Up to 18 participants may be enrolled in this study.
Design: This is a pilot, uncontrolled, prospective, single center study to investigate the potential efficacy and safety of vitamin A palmitate dosing in improving dark adaptation in participants with RPD and abnormal dark adaptation. Participants in the first cohort were instructed to take 16,000 IU of vitamin A palmitate daily for two months. Participants in the second cohort will be instructed to take 48,000 IU of vitamin A palmitate daily for one month. Enrollment for Cohort 1 ended on January 10, 2019. Participants in both cohorts will continue in the study for one month after ending Vitamin A supplementation. Participants in Cohort 1 may enroll into Cohort 2 as long as their last intake of vitamin A palmitate was greater than two months prior to their enrollment into Cohort 2.
Outcome Measures: For each cohort, the primary outcome is the measurement of dark adaptation parameters (thresholds and kinetics) by the following: dark adaptation times as measured by the AdaptDx comparing before and after vitamin A palmitate and dark adaptation parameters as measured by the Medmont comparing before and after vitamin A palmitate supplementation. The primary outcome will be assessed at Month 2 in the first cohort and Month 1 in the second cohort. For both cohorts, the secondary outcomes include changes in low luminance visual acuity (LLVA) and changes in patient reported outcomes as measured by the low luminance questionnaire (LLQ). The secondary outcomes also include measurement of dark adaptation parameters (thresholds and kinetics) comparing baseline and one month after completing supplementation (Month 3 in Cohort 1 and Month 2 in Cohort 2).
- Being tested
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Keywords
- Eye Examinations, Retinal Pigment Epithelium, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
- Medical subject headings
- Macular Degeneration
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Vitamin A PalmitateDrug
Provide vitamin A to participants with pre/post assessments of vision.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Participants | Experimental | Participants with reticular pseudodrusen Receives: Drug: Vitamin A Palmitate |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Dark Adaptation Rod Intercept Time (RIT) From Baseline in the Study Eye at the Treatment Completion Visit (Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2)
The mean change in rod intercept time (RIT) in the study eye at the treatment completion visit from baseline was descriptively summarized and assessed using a Student's paired t-test at a two-sided Type I error rate of 5%.
Measured: Baseline to Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Baseline to Month 1 for Cohort 2
Secondary outcomes (9)
Change in Dark Adaptation Rod Intercept Time (RIT) From Baseline in the Study Eye at the Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit (Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2)
The mean change in rod intercept time (RIT) in the study eye at the post-treatment follow-up visit from baseline was descriptively summarized and assessed using a Student's paired t-test at a two-sided Type I error rate of 5%.
Measured: Baseline to Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Baseline to Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Visual Acuity (LLVA) From Baseline in the Study Eye at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
The mean change in low luminance visual acuity (LLVA) in the study eye from baseline at the treatment completion and post-treatment follow-up visits were descriptively summarized.
Measured: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Composite Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) is a 32-item questionnaire relating to difficulty with visual function in low luminance settings. Individual questions are assigned to one of six distinct subscales and are scored in 25-point increments (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). Applicable questions are averaged to produce (weighted) subscale scores (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). (Weighted) Subscale scores are averaged to produce a composite score (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). The mean change in LLQ composite score from baseline at the treatment completion and post-treatment completion visits are descriptively summarized. A positive score change represents improvement in functioning from baseline (i.e., higher values=better outcome), whereas a negative score change represents a decline in functioning from baseline (i.e., lower values=worse outcome).
Measured: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Driving Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) is a 32-item questionnaire relating to difficulty with visual function in low luminance settings. Individual questions are assigned to one of six distinct subscales and are scored in 25-point increments (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). Applicable questions are averaged to produce (weighted) subscale scores (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). The mean change in LLQ driving subscale score from baseline at the treatment completion and post-treatment completion visits are descriptively summarized. A positive score change represents improvement in functioning from baseline (i.e., higher values=better outcome), whereas a negative score change represents a decline in functioning from baseline (i.e., lower values=worse outcome).
Measured: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Extreme Lighting Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) is a 32-item questionnaire relating to difficulty with visual function in low luminance settings. Individual questions are assigned to one of six distinct subscales and are scored in 25-point increments (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). Applicable questions are averaged to produce (weighted) subscale scores (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). The mean change in LLQ extreme lighting subscale score from baseline at the treatment completion and post-treatment completion visits are descriptively summarized. A positive score change represents improvement in functioning from baseline (i.e., higher values=better outcome), whereas a negative score change represents a decline in functioning from baseline (i.e., lower values=worse outcome).
Measured: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Mobility Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) is a 32-item questionnaire relating to difficulty with visual function in low luminance settings. Individual questions are assigned to one of six distinct subscales and are scored in 25-point increments (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). Applicable questions are averaged to produce (weighted) subscale scores (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). The mean change in LLQ mobility subscale score from baseline at the treatment completion and post-treatment completion visits are descriptively summarized. A positive score change represents improvement in functioning from baseline (i.e., higher values=better outcome), whereas a negative score change represents a decline in functioning from baseline (i.e., lower values=worse outcome).
Measured: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Emotional Distress Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) is a 32-item questionnaire relating to difficulty with visual function in low luminance settings. Individual questions are assigned to one of six distinct subscales and are scored in 25-point increments (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). Applicable questions are averaged to produce (weighted) subscale scores (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). The mean change in LLQ emotional distress subscale score from baseline at the treatment completion and post-treatment completion visits are descriptively summarized. A positive score change represents improvement in functioning from baseline (i.e., higher values=better outcome), whereas a negative score change represents a decline in functioning from baseline (i.e., lower values=worse outcome).
Measured: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) General Dim Lighting Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) is a 32-item questionnaire relating to difficulty with visual function in low luminance settings. Individual questions are assigned to one of six distinct subscales and are scored in 25-point increments (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). Applicable questions are averaged to produce (weighted) subscale scores (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). The mean change in LLQ general dim lighting subscale score from baseline at the treatment completion and post-treatment completion visits are descriptively summarized. A positive score change represents improvement in functioning from baseline (i.e., higher values=better outcome), whereas a negative score change represents a decline in functioning from baseline (i.e., lower values=worse outcome).
Measured: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Peripheral Vision Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) is a 32-item questionnaire relating to difficulty with visual function in low luminance settings. Individual questions are assigned to one of six distinct subscales and are scored in 25-point increments (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). Applicable questions are averaged to produce (weighted) subscale scores (range=0 to 100, higher values=better outcome). The mean change in LLQ peripheral vision subscale score from baseline at the treatment completion and post-treatment completion visits are descriptively summarized. A positive score change represents improvement in functioning from baseline (i.e., higher values=better outcome), whereas a negative score change represents a decline in functioning from baseline (i.e., lower values=worse outcome).
Measured: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Mar 2018
- Study start14 May 2018
- Primary completion17 Jun 2022
- Study completion17 Jun 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Reticular Pseudodrusen (RPD)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 9 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Eye Institute (NEI)
- Sponsor type
- US National Institutes of Health
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Emily Y Chew, M.D., Principal investigator, National Eye Institute (NEI)
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03478878
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 180068
- Other IDs
- 18-EI-0068
- Status last verified
- Dec 2023
- First submitted
- 21 Mar 2018
- Last updated
- 16 Apr 2025
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Pfau K, Jeffrey BG, Cukras CA. LOW-DOSE SUPPLEMENTATION WITH RETINOL IMPROVES RETINAL FUNCTION IN EYES WITH AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION BUT WITHOUT RETICULAR PSEUDODRUSEN. Retina. 2023 Sep 1;43(9):1462-1471. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000003840.
PubMed 37315571
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Apr 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- An Investigation of Vitamin A Palmitate Supplementation in Patients With Reticular Pseudodrusen (RPD) and Delayed Dark Adaptation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03478878
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 180068
- Keywords
- Eye Examinations, Retinal Pigment Epithelium, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 9 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- National Eye Institute (NEI)US National Institutes of Health
- Study start
- 14 May 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 17 Jun 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 17 Jun 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 27 Mar 2018 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 3 Jul 2024
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Background:
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease. It is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 55 in the U.S. Changes in the eye can make it difficult for they eye to adjust to low light. This is known as dark adaptation. This is particularly significant in people with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD). Identifying and watching the early to middle stages of AMD and changes in dark adaptation might help researchers learn to stop the disease before it becomes severe. Taking vitamin A might help improve vision in people with RPD.
Objectives:
To see if taking 16,000 IU of vitamin A per day improves vision in people with RPD. Also to improve understanding of RPD and associated dark adaptation.
Eligibility:
Adults ages 50 and older with RPD and normal liver function
Design:
Participants will be screened with:
Medical and eye disease history
Eye exam: The pupil will be dilated with eye drops. Pictures will be taken of the retina and the inside of the eye.
Including the screening visit, participants will have at least 5 visits. They will be about once a month over 6 months and last 4-6 hours. Visits include:
Questions about eye problems in certain light
Eye exam
Blood and urine tests
Dark adaptation protocol: Participants will sit at a machine in a dark room. They will look into the machine and push a button when they see a light. This lasts 20-40 minutes.
Participants will take a vitamin A supplement by mouth once a day for 2 months. They will record when they take the pills in a diary.
Detailed description
Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the potential efficacy and safety of vitamin A palmitate dosing in improving dark adaptation in participants with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) and abnormal dark adaptation.
Study Population: The first cohort consists of seven participants with RPD who meet the eligibility criteria. The second cohort will consist of five participants with RPD who meet the eligibility criteria. Up to five additional participants may be accrued in the second cohort to account for participants who withdraw from the study prior to receiving two months of study supplementation for a reason unrelated to an adverse reaction. Up to 18 participants may be enrolled in this study.
Design: This is a pilot, uncontrolled, prospective, single center study to investigate the potential efficacy and safety of vitamin A palmitate dosing in improving dark adaptation in participants with RPD and abnormal dark adaptation. Participants in the first cohort were instructed to take 16,000 IU of vitamin A palmitate daily for two months. Participants in the second cohort will be instructed to take 48,000 IU of vitamin A palmitate daily for one month. Enrollment for Cohort 1 ended on January 10, 2019. Participants in both cohorts will continue in the study for one month after ending Vitamin A supplementation. Participants in Cohort 1 may enroll into Cohort 2 as long as their last intake of vitamin A palmitate was greater than two months prior to their enrollment into Cohort 2.
Outcome Measures: For each cohort, the primary outcome is the measurement of dark adaptation parameters (thresholds and kinetics) by the following: dark adaptation times as measured by the AdaptDx comparing before and after vitamin A palmitate and dark adaptation parameters as measured by the Medmont comparing before and after vitamin A palmitate supplementation. The primary outcome will be assessed at Month 2 in the first cohort and Month 1 in the second cohort. For both cohorts, the secondary outcomes include changes in low luminance visual acuity (LLVA) and changes in patient reported outcomes as measured by the low luminance questionnaire (LLQ). The secondary outcomes also include measurement of dark adaptation parameters (thresholds and kinetics) comparing baseline and one month after completing supplementation (Month 3 in Cohort 1 and Month 2 in Cohort 2).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Participants | Experimental | Drug: Vitamin A PalmitateParticipants with reticular pseudodrusen |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 50 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (13 listed)
- To be eligible, the following inclusion criteria must be met, where applicable.
- Participant must be 50 years of age or older.
- Participant must understand and sign the protocol s informed consent document.
- Any participant of childbearing potential must be willing to undergo urine pregnancy tests throughout the study.
- Any participant of childbearing potential and any participant able to father children must have (or have a partner who has) had a hysterectomy or vasectomy, be completely abstinent from intercourse, or must agree to practice at least one acceptable method of contraception throughout the course of the study and for one week after study supplement discontinuation. Acceptable methods of contraception include:
Key exclusion criteria (24 listed)
- A participant is not eligible if any of the following exclusion criteria are present.
- Participant is in another investigational study and actively receiving study therapy.
- Participant is unable to comply with study procedures or follow-up visits.
- Participant is already taking vitamin A palmitate supplements greater than or equal to 8,000 IU.
- Participant has a history of vitamin A deficiency.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A PalmitateProvide vitamin A to participants with pre/post assessments of vision. | Drug | Participants |
Primary outcome
Change in Dark Adaptation Rod Intercept Time (RIT) From Baseline in the Study Eye at the Treatment Completion Visit (Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2)
Time frame: Baseline to Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Baseline to Month 1 for Cohort 2
The mean change in rod intercept time (RIT) in the study eye at the treatment completion visit from baseline was descriptively summarized and assessed using a Student's paired t-test at a two-sided Type I error rate of 5%.
9 secondary outcomes
Change in Dark Adaptation Rod Intercept Time (RIT) From Baseline in the Study Eye at the Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit (Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2)
Time frame: Baseline to Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Baseline to Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Visual Acuity (LLVA) From Baseline in the Study Eye at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Time frame: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Composite Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Time frame: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Driving Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Time frame: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Extreme Lighting Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Time frame: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Mobility Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Time frame: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Emotional Distress Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Time frame: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) General Dim Lighting Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Time frame: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Change in Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) Peripheral Vision Subscale Score From Baseline at the Treatment Completion and Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visits
Time frame: Treatment Completion Visit: Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2; Post-Treatment Follow-Up Visit: Month 3 for Cohort 1 and Month 2 for Cohort 2
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 16 Apr 2025.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Results publication: PubMed 37315571Pfau K, Jeffrey BG, Cukras CA. LOW-DOSE SUPPLEMENTATION WITH RETINOL IMPROVES RETINAL FUNCTION IN EYES WITH AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION BUT WITHOUT RETICULAR PSEUDODRUSEN. Retina. 2023 Sep 1;43(9):1462-1471. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000003840.
- NIH Clinical Center Detailed Web PageLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Emily Y Chew, M.D. principal investigator
National Eye Institute (NEI)
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Early Phase 1 study testing Vitamin A Palmitate in people with Reticular Pseudodrusen (RPD) and Age-Related Macular Degeneration, run by National Eye Institute (NEI) 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 13 inclusion and 24 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 16 Apr 2025. 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.
What does this phase mean?
Early Phase 1 (sometimes called Phase 0) studies give a very small amount of a treatment to a few people, mainly to see how the body handles it.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 3 Jul 2024). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
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 Dark Adaptation Rod Intercept Time (RIT) From Baseline in the Study Eye at the Treatment Completion Visit (Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Month 1 for Cohort 2) (time frame: Baseline to Month 2 for Cohort 1 and Baseline to Month 1 for Cohort 2). 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 NCT03478878, 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 16 Apr 2025.