The Effects of Exercise Versus Inactivity on People With Mitochondrial Muscle Disease
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00457314 |
Recruitment Status
: Unknown
Verified May 2009 by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
First Posted
: April 6, 2007
Last Update Posted
: May 19, 2009
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Mitochondrial Myopathy | Behavioral: Exercise | Phase 2 |
Mitochondrial myopathies are caused by mutant mitochondrial DNA, genetic defects in parts of the mitochondrial DNA. These defects can include missing or deleted DNA that typically codes for certain proteins involved in energy production. These mutations cause individual mitochondria and the body on a whole to produce energy less efficiently. Because muscle cells require extensive energy to function properly, they are particularly impaired by mitochondrial dysfunction. The onset of most mitochondrial myopathies occurs before the age of 20. Initially a person may experience muscle weakness and fatigue during physical activity. Other symptoms may include limited eye mobility, heart arrhythmias, slurred speech, swallowing difficulties, and impaired movement.
There is no cure yet for mitochondrial myopathies, nor is there any adequate treatment to stall disease progression. Exercise, known to boost the production and function of mitochondria in healthy people, may reduce symptoms in people with mitochondrial myopathies by increasing the number and function of normal mitochondria in an individual muscle cell. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of exercise training versus inactivity on the expression of normal and mutant mitochondrial DNA and on mitochondrial production within muscle cells in people with mitochondrial myopathies. The study will also assess how cell function, physical endurance, heart function, and quality of life are affected by exercise training and inactivity.
Participants in this 2-year study will first undergo physiological exercise testing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of heart and skeletal muscles, a needle biopsy of muscle, and a questionnaire on quality of life. Participants will then be randomly assigned to partake in regular exercise training or no training for 6 months. After 6 months, all participants will undergo repeat testing of initial evaluations. Participants who had been in the exercising group will then switch to no exercise training for 6 months, and participants who had been in the non-exercising group will switch to regular exercise training for 6 months. The second 6-month period will also be followed by repeat testing of initial evaluations. Participants will then be encouraged to continue exercise training for an additional 1 year, with retesting at the end of the second year. Each of the four evaluations will take about 15 hours over 5 days.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 50 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Crossover Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Exercise Training and Deconditions: Implications for Therapy in Mitochondrial Myopathy |
Study Start Date : | June 2007 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | June 2012 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | June 2012 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: 1
Participants will partake in regular exercise training for 6 months. After 6 months, they will switch to no exercise training for 6 months. Participants will then be encouraged to continue exercise training for an additional 1 year.
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Behavioral: Exercise
Regular exercise training
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Experimental: 2
Participants will not partake in regular exercise training for 6 months. After 6 months, they will switch to exercise training for 6 months. Participants will then be encouraged to continue exercise training for an additional 1 year.
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Behavioral: Exercise
Regular exercise training
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- Changes in wild-type (normal), mutant, and total mitochondrial DNA copy number [ Time Frame: Measured at Week 26 ]
- Physiological measure of oxidative metabolism [ Time Frame: Measured at Week 26 ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 65 Years (Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathy
- Single-large scale deletions of mitochondrial DNA
- Point mutations in mitochondrial DNA
Exclusion Criteria:
- Symptoms or electrocardiogram-generated signs of coronary artery disease
- Symptoms of congestive heart failure; peripheral vascular disease; or lung, kidney, or liver disease
- History of alcohol or substance abuse
- Metal implants or related devices that contraindicate MRI
- Current use of or require any medications that have significant systemic cardiovascular effects
- Diabetes
- Obesity (body mass index [BMI] greater than 30)
- Resting systolic blood pressure greater than 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mmHg at three different times

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00457314
Contact: Ronald Haller, MD | 214-345-4621 | rhaller2@earthlink.net | |
Contact: Marta Newny | 214-345-4655 | martanewby@texshealth.org |
United States, Texas | |
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center | Recruiting |
Dallas, Texas, United States, 75321 | |
Principal Investigator: Ronald Haller, MD |
Principal Investigator: | Ronald Haller, MD | University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center |
Responsible Party: | Ronald Haller, Universit y of Texas Southwestern Medical School |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00457314 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
R01AR050597 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) 1R01AR050597-01A1 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) |
First Posted: | April 6, 2007 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | May 19, 2009 |
Last Verified: | May 2009 |
Keywords provided by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS):
single-large scale deletions point mutations in mtDNA |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Muscular Diseases Mitochondrial Myopathies Musculoskeletal Diseases Neuromuscular Diseases |
Nervous System Diseases Mitochondrial Diseases Metabolic Diseases |