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Vascular DiseasesNCT01803178

The Effect of Plant Sterols on Vascular Function

A study testing Plant Sterols in people with Vascular Diseases and Hypercholesterolemia, run by Unilever R&D at 1 site in Germany.

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 main aim of the study is to investigate, in humans, the effect of plant sterols on vascular function by measuring flow-mediated dilation (FMD). This study also aims to study the effect of plant sterols on pulse wave velocity (PWV), aortic augmentation index (Aix), central blood pressure (CBP), office blood… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 40 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Vascular Diseases, Hypercholesterolemia
What is being tested?
Plant Sterols
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
240 participants
Where
1 siteGermany
Study dates
Feb 2013to Aug 2013
Phase
Interventional
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 40 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Apparently healthy men and post-menopausal women
  • BMI ≥ 18 and ≤ 30 kg/m2.
  • Aged between 40 - 65 years.
  • Having elevated LDL-cholesterol concentrations at screening (130-190 mg/dL or 3.4-4.9 mmol/L).
  • Blood pressure, heart rate, haematological and clinical chemical parameters within the normal reference range as judged by the research physician

Who cannot join

  • Having (previous) cardiovascular event(s) (stroke, TIA, angina, myocardial infarction, heart failure), systemic inflammatory conditions or diabetes mellitus.
  • Use of over-the-counter and prescribed medication which may interfere with study measurements (i.e. statins, ezetimibe, fibrates, diabetic drugs, ARB and ACE inhibitors), to be judged by the Principal Investigator.
  • Use of medical treatment for elevated TG concentrations.
  • Use of antibiotics in the three months prior to screening.
  • Currently smoking or being a non-smoker for less than 6 months and reported use of any nicotine containing products in the 6 months prior to screening and/or during the study.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Germany1 site
  • Charité Research Organisation

    Berlin

Other trials in Germany

About this study

The main aim of the study is to investigate, in humans, the effect of plant sterols on vascular function by measuring flow-mediated dilation (FMD).

This study also aims to study the effect of plant sterols on pulse wave velocity (PWV), aortic augmentation index (Aix), central blood pressure (CBP), office blood pressure (BP), blood lipids and plasma plant sterol concentration. At last, the effects of plant sterols on z-scores of circulating biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation will be assessed.

Read more

For all study outcomes, effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals will be estimated.

Hypothesis: Based on available evidence, it is hypothesized that plant sterols modestly increase FMD.

Read the detailed description

Plant sterols are well known for their LDL-cholesterol lowering benefit. Elevated cholesterol and especially LDL-cholesterol concentrations are established risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) and reducing these concentrations by dietary modification or drug treatment have been shown to reduce the risk of CHD. Direct evidence supporting a reduced risk of CHD has so far not been generated. Investigating the effects of consuming plant sterols on intermediate risk factors beyond cholesterol-lowering is therefore warranted.

Being tested
Plant Sterols, Placebo Product
Keywords
vascular function, plant sterols, blood lipids
Medical subject headings
Vascular Diseases, Hypercholesterolemia

What participants receive

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

  • Plant SterolsDietary supplement

  • Placebo ProductDietary supplement

Study groups in NCT01803178
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Plant SterolsActive comparatorPlant Sterols
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Plant Sterols
Placebo ProductPlacebo comparatorPlacebo Product
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Placebo Product

What is being measured

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

  1. Change in flow-mediated dilation

    Measured: At baseline (after 4 weeks run-in period) and after 12 weeks intervention

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Change in pulse wave velocity

    Measured: At baseline (after 4 weeks run-in period) and after 12 weeks intervention

Timeline

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

  1. First posted4 Mar 2013 (estimated)
  2. Study startFeb 2013
  3. Primary completionAug 2013
  4. Study completionAug 2013

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
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
240 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01803178
Sponsor's protocol ID
FDS-SCC-0574
Status last verified
Feb 2013
First submitted
26 Feb 2013
Last updated
28 Oct 2013
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Ras RT, Fuchs D, Koppenol WP, Schalkwijk CG, Otten-Hofman A, Garczarek U, Greyling A, Wagner F, Trautwein EA. Effect of a plant sterol-enriched spread on biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation in hypercholesterolaemic subjects. J Nutr Sci. 2016 Dec 6;5:e44. doi: 10.1017/jns.2016.40. eCollection 2016.

    PubMed 28620471
  • Ras RT, Koppenol WP, Garczarek U, Otten-Hofman A, Fuchs D, Wagner F, Trautwein EA. Increases in plasma plant sterols stabilize within four weeks of plant sterol intake and are independent of cholesterol metabolism. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2016 Apr;26(4):302-9. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2015.11.007. Epub 2015 Dec 12.

    PubMed 26806045
  • Ras RT, Fuchs D, Koppenol WP, Garczarek U, Greyling A, Keicher C, Verhoeven C, Bouzamondo H, Wagner F, Trautwein EA. The effect of a low-fat spread with added plant sterols on vascular function markers: results of the Investigating Vascular Function Effects of Plant Sterols (INVEST) study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Apr;101(4):733-41. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.102053.

    PubMed 25809853

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Plant Sterols in people with Vascular Diseases and Hypercholesterolemia, run by Unilever R&D at 1 site in Germany.

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 5 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Oct 2013. 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 Germany. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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?

Change in flow-mediated dilation (time frame: At baseline (after 4 weeks run-in period) and after 12 weeks intervention). 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 NCT01803178, 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 28 Oct 2013.

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