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Celiac DiseaseNCT00006492

Gluten-Free Diet in Patients With Gluten Sensitivity and Cerebellar Ataxia

An observational study of Celiac Disease and Cerebellar Ataxia, run by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at 1 site in United States.

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

This study will screen patients with cerebellar ataxia to check for antibodies that indicate allergy to gluten (wheat protein) and will study the effect of a gluten-free diet in patients with these antibodies. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Celiac Disease, Cerebellar Ataxia, Healthy
How many people
150 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Nov 2000to Dec 2002
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 Any age
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Patients with sporadic cerebellar ataxia of unknown etiology.

CONTROL PATIENTS:

Patients with genetically confirmed cerebellar ataxia (SCA1,2,3,6, and 7, Friedreich's ataxia) or cerebellar ataxia due to known cause (e.g., cerebellar infarct, cerebellar degeneration secondary to alcohol abuse).

AGE AND SEX-MATCHED NORMAL SUBJECTS:

With no neurological or psychiatric disease and no medical or family history of celiac disease.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

    Bethesda, Maryland, 20892

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Open Label Controlled Trial of Gluten-Free Diet in Patients With Gluten-Sensitivity and Cerebellar Ataxia

This study will screen patients with cerebellar ataxia to check for antibodies that indicate allergy to gluten (wheat protein) and will study the effect of a gluten-free diet in patients with these antibodies. Patients with cerebellar ataxia have problems with coordination, resulting in "clumsiness" and unsteadiness of posture and walking.

There are many known causes of cerebellar ataxia, but in many patients the cause is unknown and there are no available treatments. Cerebellar ataxia has been recognized as a complication of celiac disease, a syndrome characterized by sensitivity to gluten. Recognizing gluten sensitivity in patients with cerebellar ataxia would be important for two reasons: it would be one of the rare causes of the disease that are potentially treatable, and it would identify patients at risk for developing gastrointestinal cancers, particularly intestinal lymphoma.

Read more

Patients with cerebellar ataxia of known or unknown cause and normal healthy volunteers of any age are eligible for this study.

All participants will have a medical history, physical examination, blood drawn (30 milliliters, or 2 tablespoons) to check for celiac disease antibodies, and possibly other lab tests. This completes the participation of normal volunteers.

All patients will have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. This diagnostic tool uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves instead of X-rays to show structural and chemical changes in tissues. During the scanning, the patient lies on a table in a narrow cylinder containing a magnetic field. He or she can speak with a staff member via an intercom system at all times during the procedure. Scanning times vary from 20 minutes to 2 hours.

Patients who have celiac disease antibodies will have an upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy intestinal biopsy. For this procedure, a flexible tube is inserted into the mouth and down the throat into the stomach and duodenum (the upper part of the small intestine), where a small tissue sample is taken for microscopic examination. Patients with these antibodies will be put on a gluten-free diet and will be followed at NIH every 3 months for 12 months. On the first visit, patients will have their ataxia evaluated using NINDS's ataxia scale and will meet with a dietitian for instructions for a gluten-free diet. On the second through fifth visits (after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, respectively, on the gluten-free diet), patients will have their ataxia evaluated, speak with a dietitian to assess their nutritional status, weight, and compliance with the diet, and provide a blood sample for celiac disease antibody testing.

At the completion of the study, patients may choose to continue or stop the gluten-free diet. If the ataxia assessments show improvement, patients will be advised to continue the gluten-free diet permanently.

Read the detailed description

In many patients with cerebellar ataxia, the etiology is unknown. Sensitivity to gluten (wheat protein) has been suggested as a cause for cerebellar ataxia even in the absence of malabsorption symptoms or intestinal pathology. However, the prevalence of gluten sensitivity in patients presenting with cerebellar ataxia is unknown and the effect of gluten-free diet on gluten sensitivity-associated cerebellar ataxia has not been systematically studied. The aim of this project is: 1) To identify gluten sensitive cerebellar ataxia patients attending the Human Motor Control Clinic at the NIH using tests for celiac disease antibodies as a screening method. 2) To conduct open-label controlled clinical trial to assess the efficacy of gluten-free diet in the patients identified using a detailed cerebellar ataxia scale as an objective clinical measure.

Keywords
Celiac Disease, Cerebellar Ataxia, Gluten-Free Diet
Medical subject headings
Celiac Disease, Cerebellar Ataxia

Timeline

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

  1. First posted10 Nov 2000 (estimated)
  2. Study startNov 2000
  3. Study completionDec 2002

Resources

More details

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

Study design
Study type
Observational
Enrolment
150 participants
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00006492
Sponsor's protocol ID
010003
Other IDs
01-N-0003
Status last verified
Dec 2002
First submitted
9 Nov 2000
Last updated
4 Mar 2008
Results posted
No

Publications

  • Bhatia KP, Brown P, Gregory R, Lennox GG, Manji H, Thompson PD, Ellison DW, Marsden CD. Progressive myoclonic ataxia associated with coeliac disease. The myoclonus is of cortical origin, but the pathology is in the cerebellum. Brain. 1995 Oct;118 ( Pt 5):1087-93. doi: 10.1093/brain/118.5.1087.

    PubMed 7496772
  • Cooke WT, Smith WT. Neurological disorders associated with adult coeliac disease. Brain. 1966 Dec;89(4):683-722. doi: 10.1093/brain/89.4.683. No abstract available.

    PubMed 4163580
  • Cooper BT, Holmes GK, Ferguson R, Cooke WT. Celiac disease and malignancy. Medicine (Baltimore). 1980 Jul;59(4):249-61. doi: 10.1097/00005792-198007000-00002.

    PubMed 7392945

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Celiac Disease and Cerebellar Ataxia, run by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Mar 2008. 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?

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.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00006492, which also lists 3 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 4 Mar 2008.

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