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Sarcopenic ObesityOSaLTNCT05029713

Sarcopenic Obesity in Liver Transplanted Patients

An observational study of Sarcopenic Obesity, run by University of Bari at 2 sites in Italy.

Completed

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

Official record
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Trial summary

The prevalence of obesity in cirrhotic patients who are candidates for liver transplantation (LT) is increasing, a phenomenon consistent with the increased prevalence of obesity in the general population. On the other hand, in liver patients on the waiting list for transplantation it is often observed sarcopenia. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 90 years
Conditions the study is for
Sarcopenic Obesity
What is being tested?
Evaluation of appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)
How many people
400 participants
Where
2 sitesItaly
Study dates
10 May 2021to 30 Oct 2023
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 18 to 90 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: All liver transplanted patients who have had a liver transplant for more than one year

Who may be able to join

  • patients who have had a liver transplant for more than one year

Who cannot join

  • patients who have had a liver transplant for less than one year

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Italy2 sites
  • Policlinic Hospital

    Bari, BA, 70124

  • Policlinic Hospital

    Bari, 70124

Other trials in Italy

About this study

Official title: Sarcopenic Obesity and Associated Risk Factors in Patients Undergone Liver Transplant

The prevalence of obesity in cirrhotic patients who are candidates for liver transplantation (LT) is increasing, a phenomenon consistent with the increased prevalence of obesity in the general population. On the other hand, in liver patients on the waiting list for transplantation it is often observed sarcopenia. The combination of the two condition is defined sarcopenic obesity, which combines the negative synergy deriving from the two conditions. In this study the investigators will evaluate, for the first time, the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in subjects undergone LT and determine the possible associated risk factors, particularly the role of immunosuppressive treatment with calcineurin inhibitors in addition to dietary habits and physical activity.

Read the detailed description

Obesity is a clinical condition characterized by excessive body weight due to the accumulation of adipose tissue, which represents a risk to health. In particular, obesity represents a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, NAFLD, and significantly increases the risk of mortality compared to normal weight subjects. It has been reported that the presence of obesity represents a risk factor for post-operative complications in patients undergone LT, increasing the mortality risk in those with the highest degree of obesity. At the same time, an evaluation obesity on the basis of body mass index (BMI) does not take in account the real body composition in terms of fat mass and muscle mass, which are more effective prognostic factors. Data of the literature report that patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) have an average weight gain of 9 kg during the first year following the transplant, whereas in the second year, it would be observed about 24% incidence of obesity that would reach 30-38% in the third year. However, in all these studies the evaluation of de novo obesity is biased by the lack of data on the body weight of the patients prior their inclusion in the waiting list or to the use of dry body weight in patients mostly decompensated, or the loss of patients at the follow up. On the other hand, in liver patients on the waiting list for transplantation it is often observed sarcopenia, a syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength associated with an increased risk of adverse events such as disability, poor quality of life and death. In this clinical setting, it has been reported in a percentage ranging from 41% to 68 %.

The combination of the two condition defined sarcopenic obesity, which combines the negative synergy deriving from the two conditions, has been reported to be 20-40% in patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation. In addition, calcineurin inhibitors, which represent the backbone of anti-rejection therapy, have been investigated for their negative effect on muscle mass.

In this study the investigators will evaluate, for the first time, the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in subjects undergone LT and assess the possible associated risk factors, particularly the role of immunosuppressive treatment with calcineurin inhibitors (Ciclosporin and Tacrolimus), iin addition to dietary habits and physical activity. To achieve this goal the investigators will first screen all liver transplanted patients for muscle strenght and then all subjects with reduced muscle strenght will undergo bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). The presence of both conditions will allow us to identify subjects with sarcopenic obesity.

Finally, the immunosuppressive therapy will be compared in liver transplanted patients with and without sarcopenic obesity. The evaluation of risk factors for obesity will be completing by the assessment of dietary habits and physical activity.

Being tested
Evaluation of appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)
Keywords
liver transplantation, obesity, sarcopenia, calcineurin inhibitors
Medical subject headings
Obesity, Sarcopenia

What participants receive

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

  • Evaluation of appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)Diagnostic test

    Also called Evaluation of muscle strenght by an handgrip dynamometer, Evaluation of physical activity by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), The Yale Food Addiction Scale will be used to exclude risk of patients to binge

    The use of handgrip dynamometer and BIA will be used to screen all liver transplanted patients for sarcopenic obesity, using a muscle strength cut-off <27 Kg in men and <16 Kg in women and a standardized muscle mass cut-off <0.789 ASMM/BMI for men and 0.512 ASMM/BMI for women.

Study groups in NCT05029713
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
liver transplanted patients without sarcopenic obesity (controls)All liver transplanted patients followed as outpatients at out clinic, which lack at least one of the two conditions (muscle strenght and muscle mass) used to identify sarcopenic obesity.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: Evaluation of appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)
liver transplanted patients with sarcopenic obesity (cases)All liver transplanted patients followed as outpatients at out clinic, with both muscle strenght and muscle mass.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: Evaluation of appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)

What is being measured

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

  1. Sarcopenic obesity prevalence in liver transplanted patients

    In all obese patients identified by a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 the investigators will first evaluate muscle strenght and those subjects with a reduction of muscle strenght (muscle strength <27 Kg in men and <16 Kg in women) will undergo the evaluation of muscle mass by bioelectrical impedance analysis; in the latter case the appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) will be standardized for BMI (ASM/BMI), and the cut-offs considered will be <0.789 for men and <0.512 for women.

    Measured: At enrollment

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. The possible involvement of calcineurine inhibitors in patients with sarcopenic obesity

    The investigators will compare the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in subjects receiving calcineurin with that observed in subjects receiving other therapies by the Chi squared or Fisher test. In case of a significantly different prevalence between the two groups, a multivariate analysis will be performed to confirm if calcineurin inhibitor therapy is an indipendent risk factor for sarcopenic obesity.

    Measured: At enrollment

Timeline

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

  1. First posted31 Aug 2021
  2. Study start10 May 2021
  3. Primary completion30 Oct 2023
  4. Study completion30 Oct 2023

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
Retrospective
Enrolment
400 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05029713
Sponsor's protocol ID
Policlinico 8
Acronym
OSaLT
Status last verified
May 2024
First submitted
17 Jul 2021
Last updated
10 May 2024
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Barone M, Viggiani MT, Losurdo G, Principi M, Leandro G, Di Leo A. Systematic review with meta-analysis: post-operative complications and mortality risk in liver transplant candidates with obesity. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2017 Aug;46(3):236-245. doi: 10.1111/apt.14139. Epub 2017 May 10.

    PubMed 28488418
  • Barone M, Viggiani MT, Avolio AW, Iannone A, Rendina M, Di Leo A. Obesity as predictor of postoperative outcomes in liver transplant candidates: Review of the literature and future perspectives. Dig Liver Dis. 2017 Sep;49(9):957-966. doi: 10.1016/j.dld.2017.07.004. Epub 2017 Jul 22.

    PubMed 28801180
  • Rezende Anastacio L, Garcia Ferreira L, Costa Liboredo J, de Sena Ribeiro H, Soares Lima A, Garcia Vilela E, Correia MI. Overweight, obesity and weight gain up to three years after liver transplantation. Nutr Hosp. 2012 Jul-Aug;27(4):1351-6. doi: 10.3305/nh.2012.27.4.5768.

    PubMed 23165585
  • Everhart JE, Lombardero M, Lake JR, Wiesner RH, Zetterman RK, Hoofnagle JH. Weight change and obesity after liver transplantation: incidence and risk factors. Liver Transpl Surg. 1998 Jul;4(4):285-96. doi: 10.1002/lt.500040402.

    PubMed 9649642
  • Richards J, Gunson B, Johnson J, Neuberger J. Weight gain and obesity after liver transplantation. Transpl Int. 2005 Apr;18(4):461-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-2277.2004.00067.x.

    PubMed 15773968
  • Beckmann S, Nikolic N, Denhaerynck K, Binet I, Koller M, Boely E, De Geest S; Psychosocial Interest Group, Swiss Transplant Cohort Study. Evolution of body weight parameters up to 3 years after solid organ transplantation: The prospective Swiss Transplant Cohort Study. Clin Transplant. 2017 Mar;31(3). doi: 10.1111/ctr.12896. Epub 2017 Jan 24.

    PubMed 28008650
  • Hanai T, Shiraki M, Nishimura K, Ohnishi S, Imai K, Suetsugu A, Takai K, Shimizu M, Moriwaki H. Sarcopenia impairs prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis. Nutrition. 2015 Jan;31(1):193-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2014.07.005. Epub 2014 Jul 30.

    PubMed 25441595
  • Masuda T, Shirabe K, Ikegami T, Harimoto N, Yoshizumi T, Soejima Y, Uchiyama H, Ikeda T, Baba H, Maehara Y. Sarcopenia is a prognostic factor in living donor liver transplantation. Liver Transpl. 2014 Apr;20(4):401-7. doi: 10.1002/lt.23811. Epub 2014 Jan 27.

    PubMed 24357065
  • Schiavo L, Busetto L, Cesaretti M, Zelber-Sagi S, Deutsch L, Iannelli A. Nutritional issues in patients with obesity and cirrhosis. World J Gastroenterol. 2018 Aug 14;24(30):3330-3346. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i30.3330.

    PubMed 30122874
  • Hudson MB, Price SR. Calcineurin: a poorly understood regulator of muscle mass. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2013 Oct;45(10):2173-8. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2013.06.029. Epub 2013 Jul 6.

    PubMed 23838168

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Sarcopenic Obesity, run by University of Bari at 2 sites in Italy.

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 1 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 May 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Italy. 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 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?

Sarcopenic obesity prevalence in liver transplanted patients (time frame: At enrollment). 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 NCT05029713, which also lists 10 linked publications.

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 10 May 2024.

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