Crohns DiseasePLANETNCT06001450
Pregnant Women With and Without Crohns Disease to Explore the Role of Plastics and Toxins in Intestinal Inflammation
An observational study of Crohns Disease and Pregnancy, run by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The PLANET Study aims to determine the impact of microplastics on intestinal inflammation and gut microbiome in order to understand the role of this pollutant on the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as well as other diseases. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Crohns Disease, Pregnancy, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- How many people
- 46 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 15 Aug 2023to 31 Aug 2027
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Pregnant people 18 years and older, with and without Crohns disease.
Who may be able to join
- The ability to sign and date an informed consent form
- Be pregnant, or wishing to become pregnant in the near future and enroll the infant that the individual is pregnant with
- Aged 18 or older
- English-speaking (this observational study uses non-validated questionnaires that are only available in English)
- Of any ethnicity
- Be a spouse, related household member (sibling, parent, etc.) or a child of an enrolled pregnant person
Who cannot join
- Individuals who are unable to give informed consent
- Be diagnosed with a pregnancy complication, such as intrauterine fetal demise/stillbirth, preeclampsia, hyperemesis gravidarum, or have an active infection, including chorioamnionitis or sepsis.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York, 10128
Mellissa Picker, BS, 212-659-6710 ext. 86710, mellissa.picker@mssm.edu
Manasi Agrawal
About this study
Official title: PLANET: Exploring the Role of Plastics and Toxins in Intestinal Inflammation
The PLANET Study aims to determine the impact of microplastics on intestinal inflammation and gut microbiome in order to understand the role of this pollutant on the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as well as other diseases. With this information, the researchers hope to characterize better the role of environmental pollutants on IBD and develop novel strategies towards prevention.
Read the detailed description
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease of the intestinal tract. The etiology of IBD is not well understood, but believed to result from a complex relationship between genetics, environment, and gut microbiome alterations, resulting in a self-perpetuating, abnormal mucosal immune response. The incidence of IBD is rising in developing and recently developed countries, highlighting the importance of environmental exposures in determining disease risk. Microplastics, defined as plastic particles <5 mm in size, are ubiquitous pollutants with unclear implications towards human health. Emerging studies indicate substantial disruption of intestinal immune function and a proinflammatory milieu due to microplastics. Therefore, identifying, and characterizing microplastics in stool samples of individuals with CD alongside alterations in microbiome and calprotectin, which are events that occur prior to CD onset, is the initial step in exploring the impact of microplastics on IBD. Moreover, CD affects women during their reproductive years and 25% become pregnant after diagnosis. Given that maternal IBD diagnosis is one of the major risks of future IBD in offspring, it is critical to better understand if babies born to mothers with IBD have higher content of microplastics or other toxins in the stools and whether these levels correlate with those of their mothers during pregnancy.
- Conditions
- Crohns Disease, Pregnancy, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Keywords
- microplastics, nanoplastics, pregnancy, pollution, environmental pollutants
- Medical subject headings
- Crohn Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnant people with Crohns disease (Case) | Arm 1 is pregnant people with Crohns disease who enroll with the infant that they are pregnant with at the time. | |
| Pregnant people without Crohns disease (Control) | Arm 2 is the control arm of pregnant people without Crohns disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases who enroll with the infant that they are pregnant with at the time. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Microplastics quantification
Measuring the concentration, size and shape distributions of microplastics in the stool samples of women with CD, healthy controls and any relatives (spouses and siblings of the infant).
Measured: 1 year
Secondary outcomes (2)
Alpha and beta diversity
Microbiome characterization - Bacterial DNA will be isolated from stool and sequenced to characterize the bacteria present in the microbiome. Alpha and beta diversity statistics will be reported.
Measured: 1 year
Fecal calprotectin analysis
Stool samples will be processed to quantify calprotectin levels which are routinely used to characterize inflammation.
Measured: 1 year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Aug 2023
- Study start15 Aug 2023
- Primary completion31 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Aug 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Crohns DiseaseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiThe 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
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 46 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Aalborg University
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Manasi Agrawal, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Investigators
- Manasi Agrawal, MD, MS, Principal investigator, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06001450
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY-23-00245
- Other IDs
- 22-1179-00001
- Acronym
- PLANET
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 14 Aug 2023
- Last updated
- 7 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: There is no blanket statement on IPD as some participants may opt out of data sharing in collaborations and the researchers will not be submitting data to any repositories.
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
- PLANET: Exploring the Role of Plastics and Toxins in Intestinal Inflammation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06001450
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PLANET / STUDY-23-00245
- Conditions
- Crohns Disease, Pregnancy, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Keywords
- microplastics, nanoplastics, pregnancy, pollution, environmental pollutants
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 46 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Aalborg University
- Study start
- 15 Aug 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Aug 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Aug 2023 (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.
The PLANET Study aims to determine the impact of microplastics on intestinal inflammation and gut microbiome in order to understand the role of this pollutant on the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as well as other diseases. With this information, the researchers hope to characterize better the role of environmental pollutants on IBD and develop novel strategies towards prevention.
Detailed description
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease of the intestinal tract. The etiology of IBD is not well understood, but believed to result from a complex relationship between genetics, environment, and gut microbiome alterations, resulting in a self-perpetuating, abnormal mucosal immune response. The incidence of IBD is rising in developing and recently developed countries, highlighting the importance of environmental exposures in determining disease risk. Microplastics, defined as plastic particles <5 mm in size, are ubiquitous pollutants with unclear implications towards human health. Emerging studies indicate substantial disruption of intestinal immune function and a proinflammatory milieu due to microplastics. Therefore, identifying, and characterizing microplastics in stool samples of individuals with CD alongside alterations in microbiome and calprotectin, which are events that occur prior to CD onset, is the initial step in exploring the impact of microplastics on IBD. Moreover, CD affects women during their reproductive years and 25% become pregnant after diagnosis. Given that maternal IBD diagnosis is one of the major risks of future IBD in offspring, it is critical to better understand if babies born to mothers with IBD have higher content of microplastics or other toxins in the stools and whether these levels correlate with those of their mothers during pregnancy.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnant people with Crohns disease (Case) | – | –Arm 1 is pregnant people with Crohns disease who enroll with the infant that they are pregnant with at the time. |
| Pregnant people without Crohns disease (Control) | – | –Arm 2 is the control arm of pregnant people without Crohns disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases who enroll with the infant that they are pregnant with at the time. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Pregnant people 18 years and older, with and without Crohns disease.
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- The ability to sign and date an informed consent form
- Be pregnant, or wishing to become pregnant in the near future and enroll the infant that the individual is pregnant with
- Aged 18 or older
- English-speaking (this observational study uses non-validated questionnaires that are only available in English)
- Of any ethnicity
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Individuals who are unable to give informed consent
- Be diagnosed with a pregnancy complication, such as intrauterine fetal demise/stillbirth, preeclampsia, hyperemesis gravidarum, or have an active infection, including chorioamnionitis or sepsis.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Microplastics quantification
Time frame: 1 year
Measuring the concentration, size and shape distributions of microplastics in the stool samples of women with CD, healthy controls and any relatives (spouses and siblings of the infant).
2 secondary outcomes
Alpha and beta diversity
Time frame: 1 year
Fecal calprotectin analysis
Time frame: 1 year
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.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. There is no blanket statement on IPD as some participants may opt out of data sharing in collaborations and the researchers will not be submitting data to any repositories.
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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.
Manasi Agrawal, MD, MS principal investigator
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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 Crohns Disease and Pregnancy, run by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 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 6 inclusion and 2 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: looking for participants now, 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?
Contact Mellissa Picker, BS (212-659-6710 ext. 86710, mellissa.picker@mssm.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Microplastics quantification (time frame: 1 year). 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; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.