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Angelman SyndromeNCT00348933

Dietary Supplements for the Treatment of Angelman Syndrome

A study testing Betaine, Creatine and Metafolin in people with Angelman Syndrome and Nervous System Diseases, run by University of California, San Diego at 4 sites 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

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a complex genetic disorder that affects the nervous system. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of certain dietary supplements in treating the symptoms of AS. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 1 day to 5 years
Conditions the study is for
Angelman Syndrome, Nervous System Diseases
What is being tested?
Betaine, Creatine and Metafolin
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
90 participants
Where
4 sitesUnited States
Study dates
Jul 2006to Feb 2010
Phase
Interventional
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 1 day to 5 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Diagnosis of AS
  • In stable condition with relatively good control of seizures
  • Willing to comply with treatment, study visit schedule, and study assessments
  • Willing to take oral or G-tube medication
  • Willing to be contacted monthly during the course of the study
  • Parent or guardian willing to provide informed consent

Who cannot join

  • History of liver or kidney disease
  • Currently being treated for a serious acute illness
  • Known hypersensitivity to any of the study drugs
  • Received high-dose folate drug treatment in the 12 months prior to study entry
  • Other significant medical problems, including those involving the liver, kidney, or heart
  • Other comorbidities, genetic disorders, or extreme prematurity; children with autism are not excluded

Trial locations and contacts

4 sites in 1 country.

United States4 sites
  • Children's Hospital Boston

    Boston, Massachusetts

  • Greenwood Genetics Center

    Greenwood, South Carolina

  • Baylor College of Medicine

    Houston, Texas

  • Rady Children's Hospital San Diego

    San Diego, California, 92123

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Efficacy of a Therapeutic Treatment Trial in Angelman Syndrome

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a complex genetic disorder that affects the nervous system. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of certain dietary supplements in treating the symptoms of AS.

Read the detailed description

AS is a neurologic disorder that may cause developmental delay, mental retardation, severe speech impairment, seizures, small head size, and problems with movement and balance in young children. AS is caused by a missing or incomplete chromosome 15 that is inherited from the mother. Diagnosis of AS is usually made between three and seven years of age, when the characteristic behaviors and features of the disease become most evident. Prior to AS diagnosis, the symptoms may be mistaken for cerebral palsy or autism. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy, communication skills development, and behavior modification help to improve the quality of life of these children, but other treatments are needed.

In a previous study, decreased DNA methylation, which is a type of chemical change in DNA, was observed in an individual with AS; this condition may be a primary cause of AS. It is hypothesized that promoting increased DNA methylation might reduce the severity of AS symptoms. Betaine, creatine, Metafolin, and vitamin B12 are compounds normally found in the body that are involved in the DNA methylation pathway. Increasing the concentrations of these compounds in the body may enhance DNA methylation. This study will evaluate the efficacy of four dietary supplements in treating the symptoms of AS.

This study will last 12 months. Study visits will occur at study entry and Month 12. A selected group of participants, those who meet the diagnostic criteria for autism, will also be evaluated at Month 6. At study visits, participants will undergo an electroencephalogram (EEG). Medical history, physical exam, neurological exams, and developmental assessments will also be performed. Urine and blood collection, including tests to determine the blood levels of the dietary supplements, will occur at study entry and Months 6 and 12. Participants will receive two daily doses of Metafolin, betaine, and creatine, and one daily dose of vitamin B12 for the duration of the study. Parents will be asked to complete a questionnaire at each visit to report their child's behavior while taking the dietary supplements. Parents will also be contacted by phone periodically to assess changes and/or progress in their children.

Being tested
Betaine, Creatine, Metafolin, Vitamin B12
Keywords
Developmental Delay, Mental Retardation, Ataxia, Microcephaly, Seizures
Medical subject headings
Angelman Syndrome, Nervous System Diseases, Learning Disabilities, Intellectual Disability, Ataxia, Microcephaly, Seizures

What participants receive

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

  • BetaineDrug

    100-200 mg per kg per day by mouth with a maximum of 6 grams divided in two daily doses

  • CreatineDrug

    200 mg per kg per day with a daily maximum of 5 grams divided in two daily doses

  • MetafolinDrug

    0.5 mg per kg per day by mouth with a maximum of 8 milligrams divided in two daily doses

  • Vitamin B12Drug

    1 mg by mouth per day for all weights and ages

Study groups in NCT00348933
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
1ExperimentalParticipants will receive two daily doses of Metafolin, betaine, and creatine, and one daily dose of vitamin B12 for 12 months.
Receives: Drug: Betaine; Drug: Creatine; Drug: Metafolin; Drug: Vitamin B12

What is being measured

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

  1. Average Change in Functioning in Specific Areas of Development, Including Speech and Communications Skills, Cognitive Abilities and Daily Living Skills

    Primary:

    Bayley Scales of Infant Development measures Mental Developmental Index standard scores 0 (least skilled) - 100 (most skilled) Psychomotor Developmental Index standard scores 0 (least skilled - 10 (most skilled) Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS), Communication standard scores 0 (least skilled) - 100 (most skilled) Daily Living Skills standard scores 0 (least skilled) - 100 (most skilled) Socialization standard scores 0 (least skilled) - 100 (most skilled) Motor Skills standard scores 0 (least skilled) - 100 (most skilled) Preschool Language Scale (PLS), Auditory Comprehension 0 (least skilled) - 100 (most skilled) Expressive Communication 0 (least skilled) - 100 (most skilled)

    Measured: Baseline, 1 year

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Change in Levels of Betaine, Creatine, Dimethylglycine, Guanidinoacetate, Homocysteine, and Methionine.

    Measured: Baseline, 1 year

  2. Change in RBC Folate

    Measured: Baseline, 1 year

Timeline

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

  1. First posted6 Jul 2006 (estimated)
  2. Study startJul 2006
  3. Primary completionFeb 2010
  4. Study completionFeb 2010

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 N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomised
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
90 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00348933
Sponsor's protocol ID
RDCRN 5204
Status last verified
Sep 2012
First submitted
3 Jul 2006
Last updated
24 Sep 2012
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Kishino T, Lalande M, Wagstaff J. UBE3A/E6-AP mutations cause Angelman syndrome. Nat Genet. 1997 Jan;15(1):70-3. doi: 10.1038/ng0197-70.

    PubMed 8988171
  • Williams CA, Beaudet AL, Clayton-Smith J, Knoll JH, Kyllerman M, Laan LA, Magenis RE, Moncla A, Schinzel AA, Summers JA, Wagstaff J. Angelman syndrome 2005: updated consensus for diagnostic criteria. Am J Med Genet A. 2006 Mar 1;140(5):413-8. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.31074.

    PubMed 16470747
  • Williams CA, Lossie A, Driscoll D; R.C. Phillips Unit. Angelman syndrome: mimicking conditions and phenotypes. Am J Med Genet. 2001 Jun 1;101(1):59-64. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.1316.

    PubMed 11343340
  • Han J, Bichell TJ, Golden S, Anselm I, Waisbren S, Bacino CA, Peters SU, Bird LM, Kimonis V. A placebo-controlled trial of folic acid and betaine in identical twins with Angelman syndrome. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2019 Oct 22;14(1):232. doi: 10.1186/s13023-019-1216-0.

    PubMed 31640736
  • Bird LM, Tan WH, Bacino CA, Peters SU, Skinner SA, Anselm I, Barbieri-Welge R, Bauer-Carlin A, Gentile JK, Glaze DG, Horowitz LT, Mohan KN, Nespeca MP, Sahoo T, Sarco D, Waisbren SE, Beaudet AL. A therapeutic trial of pro-methylation dietary supplements in Angelman syndrome. Am J Med Genet A. 2011 Dec;155A(12):2956-63. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.34297. Epub 2011 Oct 14.

    PubMed 22002941

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Betaine, Creatine and Metafolin in people with Angelman Syndrome and Nervous System Diseases, run by University of California, San Diego at 4 sites 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 6 inclusion and 6 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 24 Sep 2012. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 4 sites 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?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 24 Sep 2012). 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?

Average Change in Functioning in Specific Areas of Development, Including Speech and Communications Skills, Cognitive Abilities and Daily Living Skills (time frame: Baseline, 1 year). 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 NCT00348933, which also lists 5 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 24 Sep 2012.

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