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CBS DeficiencyPhase 1/2NCT04015557

Effect of Acetaminophen and N-Acetylcysteine on Liver Metabolism on Homocystinuria

A Phase 1/2 study testing Acetaminophen and N-acetylcysteine in people with CBS Deficiency, run by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre at 1 site in Brazil.

Suspended

Paused. Enrolment is on hold for now and may resume.

Official record
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Trial summary

In homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) deficiency or classical homocystinuria, decreased blood cysteine levels are observed. Cysteine is essential for the synthesis of molecules such as glutathione and taurine. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
CBS Deficiency
What is being tested?
Acetaminophen and N-acetylcysteine
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
10 participants
Where
1 siteBrazil
Study dates
11 Feb 2022to 1 Dec 2022
Phase
Phase 1/2
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 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age over 18 years
  • For patients: molecular diagnosis of homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) deficiency

Who cannot join

  • Gastric, hepatic or kidney disease
  • Smoking
  • Illicit drug users;
  • Acetaminophen or N-acetylcysteine hypersensitivity.
  • Controls: use of vitamins supplements

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Brazil1 site
  • Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

    Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-007

Other trials in Brazil

About this study

Official title: Functional Consequences and Therapeutic Intervention in Hampered Production of Cysteine, Glutathione and Taurine in Classical Homocystinuria

In homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) deficiency or classical homocystinuria, decreased blood cysteine levels are observed. Cysteine is essential for the synthesis of molecules such as glutathione and taurine. Main functions of glutathione are to detoxify drugs and to scavenge reactive oxygen species. N-acetylcysteine is a commercially available drug chemically similar to cysteine. In CBS deficient animal models, N-acetylcysteine supplementation improves cysteine and liver glutathione concentrations. N-acetylcysteine also acts directly as a scavenger of free radicals. In CBS deficiency, increased oxidative damage has been described and possibly contributes to the clinical manifestations of CBS deficiency. Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) is a common painkiller and its overdose (>4 g/day) is a major cause of acute liver failure. Glutathione is required for Acetaminophen detoxification, and the preferred treatment for an overdose is the administration of N-acetylcysteine.

The aim of this study is to demonstrate that CBS deficiency patients have glutathione depletion and to investigate if Acetaminophen can induce subclinical liver damage and if N-acetylcysteine supplementation could prevent the toxic-effects of acetaminophen.

The investigators' hypothesis is that CBS deficiency patients have an inadequate supply of cysteine for the glutathione synthesis, which impairs antioxidants defenses and increases risk of intoxication of drugs that require glutathione, such as Acetaminophen. This potential increased liver toxicity induced by drugs or other xenobiotics that are detoxified by the glutathione pathway has not been explored in CBS deficiency patients. The experiments should provide answers about the functional role of cysteine and glutathione depletion in CBS deficiency and if N-acetylcysteine might have a place as an adjunct therapy for CBS deficiency.

Read the detailed description

STUDY PROCEDURES

A phase I-II clinical cross-over, not blinded, trial will be conducted. Adult patients with homocystinuria and paired-sex and age- healthy controls will be enrolled. Individuals with hepatic, renal or gastric disease; smokers, illicit drugs users or those who are hypersensitive to any of the components of the drugs tested (acetaminophen and N-acetylcysteine ) will be excluded.

Patients will be submitted to two procedures:

Step 1: In this stage, individuals will receive a single standard dose of Acetaminophen (1.5g) orally and blood samples will be drawn at time 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after the administration.

Step 2: In this stage, individuals will receive again a normal dose of acetaminophen (1.5g) orally and one hour later a single dose of oral N-acetylcysteine (70 mg per kilogram of body weight)(. Blood samples will be drawn at the same points.

In plasma we will measure methionine, homocysteine, cysteine and glutathione by LC-MS/MS. Taurine will also be determined by Biochrom 30 Amino Acid Analyser. Pyroglutamate will be determined as a marker for glutathione depletion.

As markers of oxidative stress we will assay thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, protein carbonyl content, thiol content, DNA damage 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein fluorescence assay, and activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase . Liver function parameters aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities will also be determined.

All measurements will be performed at all 5 points of blood collection and in the two stages of the trial.

Conditions
CBS Deficiency
Being tested
Acetaminophen, N-acetylcysteine
Keywords
Homocystinuria, Glutathione, Acetaminophen, N-acetylcysteine, Cysteine, Homocysteine
Medical subject headings
Homocystinuria

What participants receive

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

  • AcetaminophenDrug

    Also called paracetamol

    Adult patients with homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) deficiency and controls will receive a single dose of Acetaminophen (1.5g) orally. Blood will be drawn at time 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after the acetaminophen dose to measure liver enzymes and markers of oxidative stress.

  • N-acetylcysteineDrug

    Also called NAC

    Patients with homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) deficiency and controls will receive again a normal dose of acetaminophen (1.5g) orally and one hour later oral N-acetylcysteine (70 mg per kilogram of body weight). Blood will be drawn at time 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after the acetaminophen dose to measure liver enzymes and markers of oxidative stress.

Study groups in NCT04015557
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
AcetaminophenExperimentalAdult patients with homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) deficiency and controls will receive a single dose of Acetaminophen (1.5g) orally. Blood will be drawn at time 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after the acetaminophen dose.
Receives: Drug: Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen + N-acetylcysteineExperimentalPatients with homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) deficiency and controls will receive again a normal dose of acetaminophen (1.5g) orally and one hour later oral N-acetylcysteine (70 mg per kilogram of body weight). Blood will be drawn at time 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after the acetaminophen dose.
Receives: Drug: Acetaminophen; Drug: N-acetylcysteine

What is being measured

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

  1. Change in aspartate transaminase (AST) in 4 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos Acetaminophen administration will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 4 hours

  2. Change in aspartate transaminase (AST) in 6 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos Acetaminophen administration will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 6 hours

  3. Change in alanine transaminase (ALT) in 4 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos Acetaminophen administration will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 4 hours

  4. Change in alanine transaminase (ALT) in 6 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos Acetaminophen administration will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 6 hours

Secondary outcomes (8)
  1. Change in sulfhydryl levels in 2 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos measurements will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 2 hours

  2. Change in sulfhydryl levels in 4 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos measurements will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 4 hours

  3. Change in sulfhydryl levels in 6 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos measurements will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 6 hours

  4. Change in sulfhydryl levels in 8 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos measurements will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 8 hours

  5. Change in plasma GST activity in 2 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos measurements will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 2 hours

  6. Change in plasma GST activity in 4 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos measurements will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 4 hours

  7. Change in plasma GST activity in 6 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos measurements will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 6 hours

  8. Change in plasma GST activity in 8 hours

    A difference >30% between pre and pos measurements will be considered clinically significant.

    Measured: 8 hours

Timeline

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

  1. First posted11 Jul 2019
  2. Study start11 Feb 2022 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion30 Jun 2022 (estimated)
  4. Study completion1 Dec 2022 (estimated)

Why it stopped: Study was interrupted due to COVID-19 pandemic

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 1/2
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Non-randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
10 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04015557
Sponsor's protocol ID
20180677
Other IDs
34863.494.21707.15062018
Status last verified
Jun 2021
First submitted
28 May 2019
Last updated
30 Jun 2021
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1/2 study testing Acetaminophen and N-acetylcysteine in people with CBS Deficiency, run by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre at 1 site in Brazil.

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 2 inclusion and 5 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: paused, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Jun 2021. 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 Brazil. 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 combined phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

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

Are results available for this study?

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?

Change in aspartate transaminase (AST) in 4 hours (time frame: 4 hours). The study lists 4 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 30 Jun 2021.

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