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L-arginine Therapy on Endothelium-dependent Vasodilation & Mitochondrial Metabolism in MELAS Syndrome

This study is not yet open for participant recruitment.
Verified May 2012 by The Hospital for Sick Children
Sponsor:
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
The Hospital for Sick Children
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01603446
First received: May 18, 2012
Last updated: May 21, 2012
Last verified: May 2012
History of Changes
  Purpose

MELAS patients suffer from exercise intolerance, weakness, poor vision or blindness, poor growth, developmental delay, and deafness. They also have unique 'stroke-like' episodes (SLEs) which are not due to blockages of large or medium arteries. These 'strokes' are thought to be due to energy failure of very small brain blood vessels combined with energy failure in the mitochondria (cell battery) of the brain cells, especially in the back region of the brain in the vision centre. This leads to visual loss and paralysis. The overall goal of this study is to better understand the mechanism of these SLEs at the level of the brain cells and small blood vessels.


Condition Intervention Phase
MELAS Syndrome
 Drug: L-Arginine
 Phase 2

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Non-Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title: Pilot Study to Investigate the Efficacy of L-arginine Therapy on Endothelium-dependent Vasodilation & Mitochondrial Metabolism in MELAS Syndrome.

Resource links provided by NLM:

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by The Hospital for Sick Children:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Muscle function investigation via 31P-Magnetic resonance spectroscopy [ Time Frame: 60 to 105 minutes post dose ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    We will study exercising quadriceps using our MR-compatible up-down ergometer and our well established aerobic exercise protocol at 65 % of maximal voluntary contraction.


Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • Total body maximal aerobic capacity [ Time Frame: 60-75 mins post dose ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Maximal incremental cycle ergometry is conducted in our CardioRespiratory Exercise Lab at HSC by our established protocols (26). Serum CK and quantitative AA (for arginine, ornithine and citrulline) will be measured pre- and post- exercise as well as eNO in order to correlate aerobic exercise parameters with serum arg and eNO levels..

  • CerebroVascular Reactivity [ Time Frame: 75-105 mins post dose ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Functional MRI-Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) of brain

  • Exhaled Nitric Oxide (eNO) [ Time Frame: 75 mins pre dose, 75 mins post dose ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    eNO will be measured using single breath on-line measurements for the assessment of lower airway Nitric Oxide


Estimated Enrollment: 8
Study Start Date: May 2012
Estimated Study Completion Date: March 2013
Estimated Primary Completion Date: December 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: MELAS Patients
Four siblings with MELAS (A3243G) syndrome (1 male; 3 females) aged 17-23 years, followed or previously followed in the Neurometabolic Clinic at the Hospital for Sick Children will be studied.
 Drug: L-Arginine
NOW® L-Arginine powder
No Intervention: Control Group
Four age- and sex-matched controls and female controls will be matched according to phase in menstrual cycle corresponding with their age-matched MELAS subjects

Detailed Description:

We will study a family of 4 siblings, each with different severities of MELAS, using safe, non-invasive tests. We will determine whether there is a decrease in the ability of small brain blood vessels to increase blood flow by dilating in response to certain stimuli such as increased blood carbon dioxide levels or in response to brain cell activation in the vision centre by visual stimuli. We will use a technique called BOLD-fMRI which can detect changes in brain blood flow. As exercising muscle also depends on increased blood flow and mitochondrial energy, we will study different measures of aerobic energy metabolism in exercising muscle using cycle exercise testing and special phosphorus-magnetic resonance spectroscopy which measures the changes in the major chemicals of muscle energy metabolism. The dietary amino acid L-arginine is known to dilate blood vessels increasing blood flow and to decrease toxic free radicals that are generated by dysfunctional mitochondria. We will determine the effect of a single dose and a 6 week trial of oral L-arginine, on brain blood vessel reactivity, brain cell activation and muscle aerobic function to see how useful this would be in the treatment of these patients and other mitochondrial disorders which present with strokes.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   17 Years to 23 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Experimental Siblings with MELAS (A3243G) syndrome

  • 17-23 years
  • Followed Neurometabolic Clinic at the Hospital for Sick Children will be studied.
  • Normal electrolytes, glucose, renal and liver functions & no history of gastrointestinal, respiratory or cardiac problems.

Controls

-Aged 17-23- Sex matched to the MELAS subjects

Exclusion Criteria:

Controls

  • Experience migraines
  • Have a metabolic disorder
  • Taking medications predisposing to lactic acidosis or vasodilatation
  • Neuromuscular/neurologic condition
  • Cardiac or pulmonary disease
  • Visual abnormalities
  • Hypertension, anemia and prothrombotic state. Control subjects
  • Contraindication for MRI (pacemaker, ocular metal, claustrophobia, tattoos) will be excluded from the study.
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01603446

Contacts
Contact: Ingrid Tein, MD (416) - 813 - 5668 ingrid.tein@sickkids.ca

Locations
Canada, Ontario
The Hospital for Sick Children Not yet recruiting
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5V1X8
Principal Investigator: Ingrid Tein, MD            
Sub-Investigator: Greg Wells, MD            
Sub-Investigator: Lance Rodan, MD            
Sub-Investigator: Ian Wilson, MD            
Sponsors and Collaborators
The Hospital for Sick Children
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Ingrid Tein, MD The Hospital for Sick Children
  More Information

No publications provided

Responsible Party: The Hospital for Sick Children
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01603446     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 1000023405
Study First Received: May 18, 2012
Last Updated: May 21, 2012
Health Authority: Canada: Health Canada

Keywords provided by The Hospital for Sick Children:
pediatric
MELAS
mechanism of action of L-arginine

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies
Mitochondrial Myopathies
Muscular Diseases
Mitochondrial Diseases
MELAS Syndrome
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn
Brain Diseases, Metabolic
 Brain Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Neuromuscular Diseases
Metabolism, Inborn Errors
Genetic Diseases, Inborn
Metabolic Diseases

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 23, 2013