Autoimmune Gastrointestinal DysmotilityNCT04872439
Novel Antineuronal Antibodies in Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders
An observational study of Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility, run by Johns Hopkins University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Gastrointestinal motility disorders represent a heterogeneous group of neuromuscular diseases of the enteric nervous systems. While autoimmune neuromuscular diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) are well described, the role of autoimmunity in enteric nervous system (ENS) has been less studied. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 13 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility
- What is being tested?
- Blood sample collection
- How many people
- 300 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 22 Apr 2021to 31 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 13 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: Patients with autoimmune gastrointestinal dysmotolity
Who may be able to join
- Males and females >13 years old.
- Patient referred to the GI Motility clinic for suspected enteric dysmotility based on chronic refractory gastrointestinal symptoms
- English proficiency and literacy sufficient to sign consent.
Who cannot join
- Pregnancy documented with a serum or urine pregnancy test. If participants believe that they are pregnant, they will need to notify a study physician who will order a serum or urine test for pregnancy and remove them from the study if the test results come back positive.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
About this study
Gastrointestinal motility disorders represent a heterogeneous group of neuromuscular diseases of the enteric nervous systems. While autoimmune neuromuscular diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) are well described, the role of autoimmunity in enteric nervous system (ENS) has been less studied. Approximately 10% of patients with unexplained gastrointestinal dysmotility diseases have positive serum autoantibodies to peripheral nervous system proteins, suggesting an autoimmune mechanism targeting the enteric nervous system. The investigator's aim is to identify novel anti neuronal antibodies that contribute to autoimmune gastrointestinal motility disorders by analyzing the serum of patients with abnormal gastrointestinal motility.
Read the detailed description
Autoimmune gastrointestinal dysmotility (AGID) represents a subset of autoimmune disorders that affect the motor function of the gastrointestinal tract. It will often result in refractory gastrointestinal symptoms and poor quality of life. Approximately 10% of patients with unexplained gastrointestinal dysmotility diseases have positive serum autoantibodies to peripheral nervous system gangliosides and glycoproteins, which may be suggestive of an autoimmune mechanism targeting the enteric nervous system. The diagnosis is often made clinically in patients with gastrointestinal dysmotility in the context of primary autoimmune disease or a paraneoplastic syndrome. To date, specific diagnostic tests for AGID disorders do not exist. This study will aim to find whether patients with symptomatic autoimmune gastrointestinal dysmotility (AGID) will have a specific antigen and/or antibody causing the symptoms. The study will also aim to find whether patients with positive autoantibody titers will frequently have positive tilt-table testing (autonomic dysfunction).
The goal of this study is to determine the prevalence of autoimmune antibodies in patients presenting with unexplained GI dysmotility and refractory symptoms, and to examine the outcome (safety, tolerability, and clinical improvement) in a pilot cohort of such patients with a serum screening for antigens, antibodies, and validated questionnaires. This will be a prospective pilot study.
- Conditions
- Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility
- Being tested
- Blood sample collection
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Blood sample collectionDiagnostic test
Patients with autoimmune gastrointestinal dysmotility will provide 20 mL of blood to isolate serum, plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells for whole exome sequence. Antibodies to be isolated are: Antineuronal nuclear antibody type 1,Collapsing response-mediator family immunoglobulin G, Ganglionic Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody, Muscle Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody, Striational, Voltage-gated calcium channel, N- type, Voltage-gated calcium channel, P/Q- type, Voltage-gated potassium channel, Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase 65, Gastric parietal cell, Thyroperoxidase, Thyroglobulin
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Antibody isolation, DNA isolation | Patients with GI dysmotility Receives: Diagnostic Test: Blood sample collection |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Antibodies for Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility
Presence or absence of Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility specific antibodies.
Measured: Baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 May 2021
- Study start22 Apr 2021
- Primary completion31 Dec 2025
- Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Autoimmune Gastrointestinal DysmotilityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Johns Hopkins UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 300 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Johns Hopkins University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Ken J Hui, MD, Principal investigator, Johns Hopkins University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04872439
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB00114555
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 30 Apr 2021
- Last updated
- 7 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Novel Antineuronal Antibodies in Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04872439
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB00114555
- Conditions
- Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 300 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Johns Hopkins UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 22 Apr 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 4 May 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Gastrointestinal motility disorders represent a heterogeneous group of neuromuscular diseases of the enteric nervous systems. While autoimmune neuromuscular diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) are well described, the role of autoimmunity in enteric nervous system (ENS) has been less studied. Approximately 10% of patients with unexplained gastrointestinal dysmotility diseases have positive serum autoantibodies to peripheral nervous system proteins, suggesting an autoimmune mechanism targeting the enteric nervous system. The investigator's aim is to identify novel anti neuronal antibodies that contribute to autoimmune gastrointestinal motility disorders by analyzing the serum of patients with abnormal gastrointestinal motility.
Detailed description
Autoimmune gastrointestinal dysmotility (AGID) represents a subset of autoimmune disorders that affect the motor function of the gastrointestinal tract. It will often result in refractory gastrointestinal symptoms and poor quality of life. Approximately 10% of patients with unexplained gastrointestinal dysmotility diseases have positive serum autoantibodies to peripheral nervous system gangliosides and glycoproteins, which may be suggestive of an autoimmune mechanism targeting the enteric nervous system. The diagnosis is often made clinically in patients with gastrointestinal dysmotility in the context of primary autoimmune disease or a paraneoplastic syndrome. To date, specific diagnostic tests for AGID disorders do not exist. This study will aim to find whether patients with symptomatic autoimmune gastrointestinal dysmotility (AGID) will have a specific antigen and/or antibody causing the symptoms. The study will also aim to find whether patients with positive autoantibody titers will frequently have positive tilt-table testing (autonomic dysfunction).
The goal of this study is to determine the prevalence of autoimmune antibodies in patients presenting with unexplained GI dysmotility and refractory symptoms, and to examine the outcome (safety, tolerability, and clinical improvement) in a pilot cohort of such patients with a serum screening for antigens, antibodies, and validated questionnaires. This will be a prospective pilot study.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Antibody isolation, DNA isolation | – | Diagnostic Test: Blood sample collectionPatients with GI dysmotility |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 13 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Patients with autoimmune gastrointestinal dysmotolity
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Males and females >13 years old.
- Patient referred to the GI Motility clinic for suspected enteric dysmotility based on chronic refractory gastrointestinal symptoms
- English proficiency and literacy sufficient to sign consent.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Pregnancy documented with a serum or urine pregnancy test. If participants believe that they are pregnant, they will need to notify a study physician who will order a serum or urine test for pregnancy and remove them from the study if the test results come back positive.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Blood sample collectionPatients with autoimmune gastrointestinal dysmotility will provide 20 mL of blood to isolate serum, plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells for whole exome sequence. Antibodies to be isolated are: Antineuronal nuclear antibody type 1,Collapsing response-mediator family immunoglobulin G, Ganglionic Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody, Muscle Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody, Striational, Voltage-gated calcium channel, N- type, Voltage-gated calcium channel, P/Q- type, Voltage-gated potassium channel, Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase 65, Gastric parietal cell, Thyroperoxidase, Thyroglobulin | Diagnostic test | Antibody isolation, DNA isolation |
Primary outcome
Antibodies for Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility
Time frame: Baseline
Presence or absence of Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility specific antibodies.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Jan 2026.
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.
Ken J Hui, MD principal investigator
Johns Hopkins University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility, run by Johns Hopkins University 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 3 inclusion and 1 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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Jan 2026. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
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?
Antibodies for Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Dysmotility (time frame: Baseline). 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 7 Jan 2026.